In a remarkable incident in Easthampton, Massachusetts, a man's Apple Watch played a critical role in his rescue after his car crashed into a swimming pool, leaving him trapped upside down underwater.
Brent Hill, 55, was driving home on December 16 when he suddenly felt nauseous and lost consciousness behind the wheel. Surveillance footage captured his vehicle accelerating uncontrollably through a neighbor's garage before plunging into their pool.
"When I saw the footage of my car careening down the street and crashing, I was shocked because of how fast I was going," Hill recalled. "I didn't know any of this was going on."
Upon regaining consciousness while submerged, Hill heard what he initially thought was a voice from beyond - it was actually an emergency operator speaking through his Apple Watch. The device's Crash Detection feature had automatically contacted emergency services.
"I didn't know where I was and that person just kept me calm," Hill explained. "If emergency services had not contacted me through that watch and coached me through it, there's no way I would've got out of there."
The neighbor whose property was damaged, Elizabeth Laprade-Appelquist, praised the technology's response. "My husband was on the phone with 911 and they said 'Oh yeah, we're talking to the driver right now' - which later we found out was through the Apple Watch," she said.
Emergency responders arrived within minutes and rescued Hill, who was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital. The incident adds to a growing list of cases where the Apple Watch's safety features have aided in emergency situations.
"This feature saved my life," Hill stated. "It's a reminder that these devices are more than just gadgets; they can be lifesavers."