Last night, a routine walk took an unexpected turn, showcasing the unexpected heroics of an Apple Watch Series 9 with cellular capabilities.
At approximately 2:00 AM, I found myself outside with my dog, who had urgently needed to go out. My yard, unfortunately, isn’t fully enclosed, so I had no choice but to venture out. Despite the hour, I wore my Apple Watch with the hope of logging some steps during this impromptu walk.
As we were outside, I heard a distant moan and what sounded like a call for help coming from the end of the block. Although I was hesitant—being neither young nor particularly equipped for such situations—I decided to investigate due to the quiet nature of my neighborhood. To my surprise, I found an elderly man lying on his back in the street, his car still running nearby.
I approached him and asked if he was alright. His response was alarming: “No! I fell and I can’t get up.” It was a distressing scene, and I quickly realized the seriousness of the situation.
Using my Apple Watch, I dialed 911 and relayed the details of the emergency. The ambulance arrived within about five minutes. In the meantime, I turned off the man’s car, stayed with him, and engaged him in conversation as advised by the dispatcher. The man appeared disoriented about his surroundings and how he ended up in that position.
When the ambulance reached us, I flagged them down and the EMTs took over, including managing the car. An hour later, when my dog needed another outing, both the ambulance and the car were gone. I hope the elderly man received the help he needed, though I may never know his outcome.
This experience has reinforced my belief in the necessity of cellular connectivity in smartwatches. From my perspective, an Apple Watch without cellular capabilities simply won’t do.
