When was the last time you left home without a cell phone? Chances are, you’re reading this on one right now! They keep us connected, provide access to fast information, and help us capture that perfect selfie. We all know some benefits of mobile phones, but have you ever heard that they have saved lives? That’s right. The very device that you look at 262 times a day (if you are like the average American) has rescued lives.
Here are 5 phenomenal stories of a time a smartphone saved a life.
TWEET FOR HELP
36-year-old Leigh Fazzina was racing in a triathlon when one wrong turn led to isolation in a 300-acre wood. Attempting to make it back to the group, her front wheel hit a tree and she crashed. Fazzina couldn’t move, no one could hear her, and she didn’t have enough service to make a call. When she thought hope was lost, she realized her Twitter was working! She posted a tweet asking her followers for help. Minutes later, an ambulance was dispatched and Fazzina was rescued.
THIS APP SAVES LIVES
Dan Woolley, a U.S. filmmaker, was working in Haiti when an earthquake struck. Stuck in wreckage for 65 hours until he was rescued, Woolley used a first-aid app to learn how to treat his own wounds. It taught him how to stop the bleeding from his head injury and how to properly bandage his leg. It even reminded him to stay awake when he felt like he would go into shock.
DODGE A BULLET
A cell phone saved a gas station clerk’s life when it literally helped him dodge a bullet. One early morning, a man attempted armed robbery at a gas station. The man pointed the gun at the clerk, demanding that he open the safe. When the worker couldn’t get it open, the robber began backing out and fired one gunshot. Luckily, the clerk’s smartphone was in his chest pocket — the exact spot the gunman aimed for. If it weren’t for the phone blocking the bullet, he would’ve been shot directly in the chest.
MAN’S BEST FRIEND
When Belle Weaver, a beagle, noticed that her owner was unconscious on his kitchen floor, she found his phone and began chomping on it until it triggered a call to 911. Dispatch was unaware that Kevin Weaver was experiencing a diabetic seizure and was fighting for his life, but the barking on the line indicated that someone was in danger. Help was sent, and Weaver’s life was saved.
PHOTO REVEALS RARE FORM OF CANCER
Julie Fitzergald was able to catch signs of cancer in her 2-year-old son’s life, thanks to an iPhone camera. She had seen something strange in his eye and began doing research online. An article instructed her to take a photo of him, noting that if she saw a white glow on his eye, it could indicate retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer.
She said, “I took the picture and boom, his whole pupil was just white and that’s when I knew.”
Doctors said that if they wouldn’t have caught the cancer so early, it would’ve spread to the toddler’s blood and brain.
True stories like these remind us that our smartphones can be used for far more than entertainment and casual communication. They can be incredible life-saving devices, too.
Speaking of which, do you find yourself forgetting where you placed your cell phone in your home or office? Give your phone a home by placing it in a GoDonut stand. Your GoDonut will make it easier to find your phone. It will also make it more convenient because you don’t have to hold it in your hand the whole time while using it.
