“I never would have thought I’d be using an Apple Watch to make a lifesaving phone call,” says Ryan McConnaughey. That’s what the 23-year-old Californian told KGTV after a mountain bike crash caused him to be paralyzed.
McConnaughey was mountain biking in Spring Valley, California, earlier this year when an accident caused him to fly over his handlebars and crash headfirst into the ground.
The mountain biking accident paralyzed McConnaughey, who says he didn’t feel much pain but couldn’t move from the neck down. Ryan knew he needed to call for help, but his iPhone was in his backpack.
He instinctively turned to his Apple Watch, using the “Hey Siri” voice command to call a close friend who would know where he was located.
McConnaughey also called 911 from the Apple Watch as well as his girlfriend to say goodbye. Not knowing if he would survive, he left his girlfriend a voice message from his Apple Watch.
After being airlifted to the hospital, Ryan underwent multiple lifesaving surgeries and has been diagnosed as a quadriplegic.
“That watch saved my life. No doubt about it. No way anybody would have found me,” he says after undergoing spinal cord rehab and returning home.
Ryan continues to use his Apple Watch as he moves beyond the accident. The local news report highlights a fundraiser aiming to help Ryan tackle the cost of his recovery.
