British great-grandfather, 82, survives being run over by car after Apple Watch calls for help
A British great-grandfather survived being hit by a car after his Apple Watch automatically called emergency services for him.
Tony Jauncey, 82, was crossing the street near a roundabout in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England on Jan. 19 when a motorist plowed into him.
The great-grandfather was launched into the air by the force of the impact and landed flat on his back, causing him to break his collarbone and crack ribs. He also suffered from severe bruising on his right leg.
“I was walking back to my car, which was parked in Aldi, and was crossing the road when I felt a thud,” he told SWNS. “The next thing I saw was the bumper of a car in front of me.
“This roundabout is very dangerous, it always has been. The driver cut the corner and didn’t see me.”
Heart-stopping surveillance footage shows Jauncey halfway across the street when the black car hit him, sending him flying feet-first and scattering his belongings across the road and sidewalk.
The car’s occupants quickly stopped the car and rushed over to him, as did several other bystanders.
While the octogenarian laid in shock on the ground and was “not able to move,” his Apple Watch dialed 999 for him after detecting the impact from the crash, according to SWNS.
“The watch detected a fall and asked if I wanted to call the emergency services,” he told the British news source. “I could cancel the request by pressing a button on the side of the phone but I left it and as a result, the phone called 999.”
It sent his location to emergency services and paramedics and police arrived several minutes later. They rushed the 82-year-old to Russell’s Hall Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries and spent a week laid up from his “life-changing injuries.”
The retired bookkeeper, who has since returned home, got the watch for Christmas and said the device “saved my life.”
“The modern technology and the capabilities we have are just incredible,” he said.
Whether he had the watch or not, Jauncey would have gotten the help he needed as three off-duty nurses quickly ran over to him after his fall and put him in a comfortable position while they waited for the ambulance.
“There were lots of people who came over to help which really put me at ease,” the Brit said.
