A high school senior from Cape Cod, Massachusetts who says the Apple Watch saved his life has received an offer from Apple CEO Tim Cook he can't refuse - an internship and a new iPhone 6s.
Paul Houle Jr., 17, purchased an Apple Watch in September with the money he earned working a summer job. He knew he had one of Apple's most personal products, but what he didn't know was that it would save his life.
A football player, Paul experienced chest and back pains after practice on a hot day at Tabor Academy, which caused him to check his heart rate using the Apple Watch. It was a staggering rate of 145, and that was more than enough reason for him to seek help.
The trainer brought Paul to the school's health center. After that, the health center's staff took him to the emergency room. Paul's father, a neurosurgeon, said that his son has rhabdomyolysis, also known as rhabdo.
"That means that your muscle breaks down and floods your system with protein. It can effect multiple organs," Dr. Houle said.
Paul's liver, heart and kidneys seemed to have suffered some damage, but after a couple of days recuperating in the hospital, Paul is back in school, feeling better already.
The father and son are thankful for the Apple Watch. Dr. Houle further expressed that "if it wasn't for the Apple Watch to alert him to the fact that there was a problem, he probably would have just gone back to bed. He would have showed up for practice the next day and would have been one of the kids you read about every fall, who drops dead on the football field."
At first, Dr. Houle was having doubts about the Apple Watch, thinking that it was just a waste of money. However, after the incident, he bought one for himself and his wife.
When word about the incident reached Tim Cook, he wanted to make sure that Paul was okay through the ordeal, and that's when the Apple CEO offered him an internship for the following summer at Apple and a new iPhone. He told Paul that he will "always have a place with Apple."
Photo: Andreas Kambanis | Flickr
