Apple Watch Fall Detection Features Save Two Lives

The Apple Watch's health features are making headlines this month, and have been credited with saving at least two lives. Fall Detection came in handy in two emergency situations in Minnesota and Ohio.

apple watch fall detection
In Minnesota, Apple Watch user Michael Brodkorb was hit by a vehicle that then fled the scene. His Apple Watch detected the impact using Fall Detection and dialed 911 after he was unable to respond. "I was just shocked," he said. "I mean, just the sheer force of what it's like to get hit by a vehicle."

Along with calling 911, the Fall Detection feature alerted his wife and children inside the house, so he was able to get immediate help. He ended up with injuries to his ribs and tailbone. "It absolutely is a life-saving tool," Brodkorb said. Police did find the driver, a 17-year-old boy, but it is not yet clear if he will be charged.

During his recovery, Brodkorb sent an email to Apple CEO Tim Cook, who wished him a speedy recovery.

In Cincinnati, 83-year-old William Fryer was walking on the Ohio River Trail when his knees gave out. No one was around, but his Apple Watch detected the fall, called emergency services, and alerted his daughter.

Cincinnati police were able to locate him and paramedics transported him to the hospital. X-rays ultimately showed that he had a large blood clot that caused his fall, but the blood clot symptoms had been atypical as they had not been noticed. Fryer had the clot removed, and said that he was grateful his Apple Watch had been able to summon help.

The Fall Detection feature on the Apple Watch can be enabled by opening up the Apple Watch iPhone app, going to Emergency SOS, and toggling on the Fall Detection option. Fall Detection is enabled by default for Apple Watch owners over 55, but younger Apple Watch users can also turn it on.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Expected Next Week - Here Are the Release Notes

Friday March 28, 2025 2:01 pm PDT by
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect. There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
macbook pro blue green

When Will Apple Release the M5 MacBook Pro?

Wednesday March 26, 2025 4:53 pm PDT by
Apple regularly refreshes the MacBook Pro models, and a new version that uses M5 series chips is in the works. Apple just finished refreshing most of the Mac lineup with M4 chips, and now it's time for the M5. Rumors suggest that we could see the first M5 MacBook Pro models this fall. Design There have been no rumors of a design update for the M5 MacBook Pro models that are coming this...
Facebook Feature

Facebook's New iPhone App Feature Turns the Clock Back to 2007

Thursday March 27, 2025 1:59 pm PDT by
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out. That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook. Specifically, Meta has redesigned the...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Six Things to Know About Apple's Upcoming Foldable iPhone

Friday March 28, 2025 3:54 pm PDT by
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things. Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
iOS 18 4 Ambient Music Control Center

How to Use iOS 18.4's New Ambient Music Feature in Control Center

Thursday March 27, 2025 7:45 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone adds an Ambient Music feature to Control Center. Below, we take a closer look at how it works. iOS 18.4 is currently in beta, so the Ambient Music feature is not widely available yet. The update will likely be released to the general public next week. To use the feature on iOS 18.4, open Control Center and tap on the plus sign in the top-left...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

'iPhone Fold' to Feature Metallic Glass Hinge That Resists Deformation

Thursday March 27, 2025 4:21 am PDT by
Last week, we covered a report claiming that Apple's book-style foldable iPhone (or "iPhone Fold," as we are provisionally calling it here) will use liquid metal hinges to improve durability and help minimize screen creasing. Today, a Chinese leaker provided more details on the properties of this hinge material that help to clarify why Apple chose it for its first foldable device. According...

Top Rated Comments

Feek Avatar
25 months ago
It detected when I fell once. I managed to cancel it because I thought I was OK.

I wasn't OK, I was absolutely knackered. I couldn't get up. I'd smashed my shoulder and ended up laying at the side of the road waiting for someone to stop and help.

If you don't have fall detection enabled, please do so. It's really important.

This is how my shoulder is now (x-ray in spoiler tags).

[spoiler]

[/spoiler]

If you ever fall and it goes off, properly evaluate yourself before cancelling it.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
25 months ago
It's April 24, 2015, and Apple just released the Apple Watch (1st Generation)

Fast forward to today, 2023 - Who would have ever thought Apple Watch would be saving human lives? ?
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
midkay Avatar
25 months ago
Brilliant work by Apple on this and Crash Detection. The developers of these features should be very proud.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ct2k7 Avatar
25 months ago
I wonder if there are other competitor watches which can do this or just Apple Watch? Pretty amazing tech either way that's literally a life-saver!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Choco Taco Avatar
25 months ago

It's April 24, 2015, and Apple just released the Apple Watch (1st Generation)

Fast forward to today, 2023 - Who would have ever thought Apple Watch would be saving human lives? ?
Yes, it's nice to see tech like this making an actual difference.



It detected when I fell once. I managed to cancel it because I thought I was OK.

I wasn't OK, I was absolutely knackered. I couldn't get up. I'd smashed my shoulder and ended up laying at the side of the road waiting for someone to stop and help.

If you don't have fall detection enabled, please do so. It's really important.

This is how my shoulder is now (x-ray in spoiler tags).

[spoiler]

[/spoiler]

If you ever fall and it goes off, properly evaluate yourself before cancelling it.
I'm glad you're okay. That's terrifying.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Choco Taco Avatar
25 months ago

Does skydiving trigger this?
Only if your parachute doesn't open.


Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)