Apple Watch saves 55-year-old man's life after car crash, traps him in neighbour’s swimming pool

A man from Easthampton, Massachusetts, is crediting his Apple Watch for saving his life after a car crash left him trapped in a neighbour's swimming pool. Brent Hill, 55, was driving home on December 16 when he suddenly began feeling unwell. Within moments, he lost consciousness, unaware of what was about to unfold.

According to a Western Mass News report, Hill’s vehicle veered off the road, crashed into a garage, and plunged into the pool, leaving him disoriented and unable to grasp his surroundings when he regained consciousness. Surveillance footage revealed that the car accelerated uncontrollably, likely due to his foot pressing the accelerator after he passed out.

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Apple Watch: Life-Saving Technology at Work

As Hill slowly regained awareness, he heard what seemed like a voice from the afterlife. But the voice was not supernatural; it was his Apple Watch’s crash detection feature. The watch had detected the crash and alerted emergency services. Hill was reassured by the voice, which informed him that help was on the way. This simple message helped him stay calm during the harrowing ordeal.

“If emergency services had not contacted me through that watch and guided me, I would not have made it out,” Hill said to Western Mass News. He explained how faint sounds outside the car confused him, and he couldn’t make sense of the situation. “I knew something was happening around me, but I didn’t understand where I was. That voice kept me grounded. Without it, I would have drowned.”

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Thanks to the watch’s crash detection, emergency responders arrived promptly and rescued Hill. Though he sustained minor injuries, Hill believes the outcome could have been much worse without the Apple Watch.

Neighbor Elizabeth Laprade-Appelquist, whose garage and pool were damaged, expressed amazement upon hearing the details. “My husband called 911, but they were already speaking to the driver through his watch. It was incredible,” she said.

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Hill hopes his experience will encourage others to recognise the life-saving potential of technology in emergencies. "This feature saved my life," Hill said, underscoring the real-world value of smart devices.