Apple Watch Saves Life Of Tabor Academy Football Player
MARION (CBS) - Apple's new watch is being called a life-saver at Tabor Academy in Marion.
Paul Houle, 17, a senior nose tackle on Tabor's football team, said he had just finished practice last week when he began to feel pain in his back and chest.
"My Apple watch, which I bought three days earlier, I tested my heart rate on it. It was about 145 for about 2 hours after the practice had ended," he told WBZ-TV.
He immediately contacted his trainer who checked his heart rate manually and then immediately rushed him to the hospital.
He was later diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis.
"I was so dehydrated that my muscles started to actually break down and release a protein that is sort of toxic into my blood stream which caused my heart, my liver and my kidneys all to shut down," Houle said.
"I'm grateful to Apple. I'm grateful to the school because the trainers and the nurses, everybody really just jumped on it," Paul's dad, Dr. Paul Houle, told WBZ.
Paul said he will have to miss some of the football season as he continues recover, but he's just thankful to be alive.
And what makes this story even more fascinating – he got a surprise phone call from Apple CEO Tim Cook.
And his heart rate went up again.
Cook offered Houle the new iPhone and an internship next summer at Apple.
His lesson from all of this?
"Drink lots of water and also listen to your body and seek help if something is wrong," he said.
"I'm just happy to be alive."