Man credits Apple Watch with saving his life after hit-and-run
(CNN) -- One man says he's alive today because of his Apple Watch. It called 911 after he was hit by a vehicle.
He has since contacted Apple's CEO to thank him.
"It may seem silly for someone to e-mail the CEO of one of the largest companies in the world and expect the e-mail to be read," Michael Brodkorb wrote.
But writing to Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, seemed only natural to Brodkorb after what his Apple Watch did for him.
"It absolutely is a life-saving tool," Brodkorb said.
Brodkorb was outside his home last month when a car peeled out nearby.
"As any dad would do when they see a speeding car where their kids are playing, I took a few steps out into the street and the car came around the corner and just hit me," Brodkorb described. "I was just shocked, just the sheer force of what it's like to be hit by a vehicle."
The car never stopped, leaving Brodkorb badly hurt.
"The Apple Watch knew that I'd taken a hard fall and that I wasn't responding in a specific amount of time, so the watch called 911," Brodkorb said.
It also texted his wife and kids in the house, telling them what happened.
"I laid there and my family had to come out and find me. That's a difficult scenario," he said.
Police said the driver was a 17-year-old boy whose family reached out to the department after the crash. Officers have interviewed the teenager and are finishing their investigation before a charging decision can be made.
"There's clearly a criminal element to this. This was dangerous," Brodkorb said.
As his ribs and tailbone recover, he's gotten support from family, friends, and the CEO of one of the largest companies in the world.
"Wished me a speedy recovery and let me know this is why they design these type of features," Brodkorb said Cook wrote back.
Many smartwatches on the market today have fall-detection features.
Brodkorb is also thanking social media users for helping find the driver of the vehicle who hit him.
