Not all heroes wear capes — some flaunt a controversial display notch (I’m looking at you, iPhone), while others have smooth, squircle faces (ahem, Apple Watch). In the past few weeks, an iPhone 11 Pro and two Apple Watches have rescued three people from precarious situations and given them a second chance at life.
While the Apple Watches saved their owners by sending out alerts and alerts, the iPhone 11 Pro played more of a bodyguard role, using its case to prevent an incoming, dangerous projectile from penetrating its owner. Curious how exactly these iProducts saved three people? Continue reading!
The iPhone 11 Pro that rescued a Ukrainian soldier
9to5Mac reported that a viral video surfaced on Twitter and Reddit over the weekend claiming that an “iPhone 13 Pro” was blamed for stopping a bullet from penetrating a Ukrainian soldier. However, Hawk-eyed commenters pointed out that the phone is Not an iPhone 13 Pro – it’s an iPhone 11 Pro.
save iphone lives! #iPhone #Apple #Mobile #UkraineRussianWar pic.twitter.com/DViKSnLnFGJuly 17, 2022
The Ukrainian soldier pulled his shattered phone from a vest pocket and boasted that his device protected him from a bullet’s impact. However, since there is no footage of the incident, it is difficult to verify that the iPhone was actually responsible for saving the soldier. Some skeptics say a steel plate behind the iPhone, not the iPhone itself, protected the soldier from harm.
If the iPhone 11 Pro did, by some miraculous feat, actually stop the bullet from penetrating the soldier, you have to admit it would be quite the war story for the Ukrainian soldier who owns the iPhone.
The Apple Watch saved a woman from a deadly tumor
“It really saved my life!” Kim Durkee said, praising her Apple Watch for alerting her to a life-threatening health condition that could have claimed her life had she not been aware of it.
According to CBS News, Durkee’s Apple Watch woke her up in late May and warned her that her heart had atrial fibrillation, a condition in which the beating of the upper chambers (atria) is sort of “out of step” with the lower chambers (ventricles). Duke said she didn’t take the initial warnings seriously — until the third night of warnings shaken her into action.
“The numbers went a little too high to comfort me,” Durkee said. “Then I said, ‘You know what? Go to the emergency room. If they tell you it’s nothing to worry about, throw the watch away!'”
As it turns out, the Apple Watch had valid reasons for issuing warnings to Durkee. Her heart was beating erratically because she had myxoma, a fast-growing, rare tumor that was blocking the blood supply to her heart. If she hadn’t acted in time, it would have caused a stroke.
On June 27, Durkee underwent surgery for the four-centimeter tumor that could have killed her. “I consider myself very lucky,” she said.
It’s unclear which Apple Watch model Durkee owns, but the latest iteration, the Apple Watch 7, features blood oxygen monitoring, heart rate tracking, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor. It’s the latter, along with the heart rate tracker, that probably saved Durkee; it can detect cardiac arrhythmias.
The Apple Watch that helped save a kayaker
In mid-June, a man was kayaking with another companion along the shoreline of Sydney’s North Shore. Due to a big swell and strong winds, the couple was separated. Unfortunately, one of them was swept almost three miles out to sea – and he couldn’t paddle back to shore.
But no worry! He has an Apple Watch (opens in new tab). He used it to call for emergency help. The New South Wales Police Marine Area Command conducted a search for the kayaker and urged the crew of the Westpac rescue helicopter to facilitate the hunt. Thanks to the plane, rescuers were able to spot the “extremely exhausted kayaker who was struggling to stay upright,” according to the Daily Mail.
Paramedics were waiting for the man on the shore, but he refused treatment because he said he was unharmed.
The kayaker likely used the side button on his Apple Watch to call for help. By simply dragging the Emergency SOS slider to the right, users in danger can reach the emergency response center in no time. “After the call ends, your Apple Watch notifies your emergency contacts that you’ve placed a call and sends them your current location,” according to Apple’s support guide (opens in new tab) said for the clock.
You never know when life can take a turn for the worse. I dismissed the Apple Watch as an unnecessary accessory, but these stories are compelling enough to make me want to grab a smartwatch.