The voice you heard was not a spectral call; it was the emergency services reaching out, thanks to the Crash Detection feature on the Apple Watch. This was the exact scenario faced by a 55-year-old man in Massachusetts who fainted while driving and found himself upside down in a neighbor’s pool.
Taylor Smith and Ryan Trowbridge from WGGB/WSHM share the account of Brent Hill from Easthampton, MA:
Hill described a frightening moment when he suddenly felt ill while driving home on December 16. That was the last thing he remembered before losing consciousness. Surveillance footage from a neighbor’s camera later revealed that Hill’s car sped through the neighbor’s garage and ended up upside down in their pool shortly thereafter. […]
As he slowly regained consciousness, Hill heard what he initially mistook for a voice from beyond. Ultimately, the sound was his Apple Watch communicating with him: emergency services were on their way to provide assistance.
While it wasn’t a ghostly encounter, it was indeed a miraculous outcome. The Crash Detection feature on the Apple Watch functioned as intended, making the call to 911. Hill recounted his experience and how the watch played a crucial role:
“It was that moment of realization when you recognize you’re in a very dire situation. […] I guess my weight shifted, hitting the accelerator without braking, and I just barreled through. I was completely unaware of the chaos while watching the footage of my car flying down the street and crashing—it was shocking to see how fast I was going.”
Hill acknowledged the vital role the Apple Watch played in the resolution of this intense experience:
“Had emergency services not reached out through my watch and guided me, I don’t believe I would’ve made it out. I could hardly hear anything around me. Although I could sense the commotion, understanding was difficult. I had no idea where I was, and that person kept me calm. Without that, I likely would have drowned.”
Read the comprehensive account here. For an overview of how Crash Detection operates, visit Apple’s support document here.
The incident on December 16 highlights the immense value of health and safety features on the Apple Watch, which have an impact on users’ lives daily. Interested in upgrading to a new Apple Watch? Walmart has the Apple Watch Series 9 available for just $249, while supplies last.
The upcoming Apple Watch Series 10 will feature sleep apnea detection and an updated, slimmer design.
Crash Detection is available on newer models of the Apple Watch and iPhone, including:
- Apple Watch Series 8 and later, Apple Watch Ultra and later, and Apple Watch SE 2 and later with watchOS 9 or newer
- iPhone 14 and newer with iOS 16 or later
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