The Teen used his Apple watch to call his parents and friends. (Representational)
A teenage boy from Maharashtra has credited his Apple watch with saving his life when he met with an accident during a trek in Lonavala with his friends. The 17-year-old used the watch to call his friends who rescued him after he slipped into a valley and sustained injuries.
Smit Metha also shared the incident with Apple CEO Tim Cook in an email and received a response from him, reported The Times of India.
The incident took place on July 11 when Smit Mehta, who lives in Pune, headed to Lonavala for a trek along with his three friends. While on their way back, he slipped 130—150 feet down a valley on the rainy day. He got stuck on a tree and stone after falling and suffered a broken ankle, the report added.
Unable to escape on his own, Smit Mehta realised that his phone was also in one of his friend's bags. However, he still had a network on his Apple Watch, which he used to call his parents and friends. Following this, Smit Mehta's friends and some other people on the trek pulled him to safety.
“I think I am alive because of the Cellular Apple Watch model I own. That let me connect with my family and friends at the right time, without the need for a phone,” he told India Today.
The boy was later admitted to a hospital in Lonavala and underwent a surgery on July 16 in Pune after his wound got infected. He had to be shifted to a Mumbai hospital due to some complications and was finally discharged on August 7, the TOI report said.
Grateful for his Apple watch, Smit Mehta wrote an email to Apple CEO Tim Cook to share his story. “My Apple Watch came to my rescue as I was able to make those important phone calls,” he wrote.
The teenager got a reply from the CEO to his email who wished him a speedy recovery and thanked Smit Mehta for sharing his story. “It sounds like a terrible accident,” Mr Cook said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)