Chicago man thanks Apple Watch for saving him from drowning

A Chicago man wearing an Apple Watch sees an alert screen on his wrist displaying "CALLING... EMERGENCY SERVICES." The screen shows "SOS" and the time "10:09" at the top. Instructions to press the screen firmly to end the call are shown at the bottom, potentially saving him from drowning.

Apple Watch has been credited for saving a man’s life, according to a report in WBMM.

Phillip Esho, from Chicago, said that he was riding his jet ski in Lake Michigan and a wave flipped over time, which knocked him and his phone into the water almost immediately.

“Phillip Esho said he was riding a jet ski from the 31st Street Harbor to McCormick Place to take pictures of the Chicago skyline when a big wave flipped over his jet ski and knocked him and his phone into the water,” the report outlines.

“Esho said his phone was lost and people in nearby boats couldn’t see or hear him calling for help as the waves kept knocking him under the surface even though he was wearing a flotation device.”

Because Esho was wearing his Apple Watch, he was able to use the Watch’s Emergency SOS feature to contact the emergency services.

He said that he was unsure whether the call had connected, but then quickly saw a helicopter Chicago Police and Fireboats which were on hand to save his life.

He added that, without his Apple Watch, he might have died: “Considering the high waves kept pushing him under the surface and he had no other way to get help, Esho said he’s not sure what would have happened if he wasn’t able to use his Apple Watch to call 911 for help.”

We often hear stories of Apple Watch’s new ECG feature bringing light to potentially life-threatening health issues, but this is the first time we’ve seen a user credit Apple Watch’s Emergency SOS feature for saving their life.

It’s another reason to make the switch to the product if you haven’t done so already and just one of the reasons why the Apple Watch is the world’s most powerful smartwatch.

Has Apple Watch helped you when you were stuck? Let us know your story on Twitter using @AppleMagazine and we’ll feature some of the best in an upcoming article.

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