Tim Cook responds to teen who called for help with Apple Watch after 130-foot fall

Since Apple introduced the first Apple Watch model, we have seen many stories from users praising the wearable life-saving features. In recent years, Apple has featured many cases where the Apple Watch saved a life during the launch events of next-gen models. It’s usually the Apple Watch’s heart-tracking or fall-detection features that save lives. But the wearable’s ability to call emergency responders is another excellent feature to have on your wrist.

A 17-year-old teen in India used a cellular Apple Watch model to call for help after a 130-foot fall that broke his ankles. He then wrote to Apple Tim Cook to share his experience, and Apple’s CEO responded.

This is Cook’s reply, according to Times of India:

Smit,

I’m so glad you are on the road to recovery. It sounds like a terrible accident. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us.

I wish you a full and speedy recovery.

Best,
Tim

Smit Metha was on a trip with friends on July 11th, which turned out to be a rainy day. All was well until their return. That’s when Metha slipped about 130-150 feet into a valley.

The young man’s iPhone 13 was in a friend’s backpack, so he couldn’t use it to call for help. The fall had broken both of his ankles. But then he realized he had the Apple Watch Series 7 on his wrist. And it was a cellular model.

He called his parents and friends with the Apple Watch. But the first responders needed two hours to reach him. Metha’s friends and a few others managed to bring him up with some difficulty.

“I weighed 99 kgs at the time of the fall, and I am over 6 feet tall, so it wasn’t easy at all,” the teenager told Times of India. He was the seventh such accident of the day.

Once he reached the top, he could share his location with his parents, and he finally made it to the hospital. The delay meant his wounds got infected, and he underwent surgery on July 16th. There were additional complications that meant another change of hospitals, which delayed his discharge to August 7th.

Metha said he had to go through a long rehabilitation period as he couldn’t shift weight on his legs. He was in a wheelchair for a while. The young man still uses a walking stick.

After all that ordeal and the somewhat happy end, Metha contacted Apple’s Tim Cook directly to share his Apple Watch story.

More Apple coverage: Check out the best Apple deals online right now.