Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

This man suffered a serious heart attack, and his Apple Watch saved his life

The Apple Watch is useful for many things, hosting applications that only begin with checking your notifications and appointments, but did you know it could save your life? It saved the life of 62-year-old Dennis Anselmo of Alberta, Canada, and his story is pretty amazing.

August 18, 2015 was a typical day for Dennis. He was at work placing posts in the ground, but after lunch he didn’t feel so well. He told The Sun, “I felt terrible – like I had a really bad flu. I worked for maybe ten minutes but said to my helper I need to sit down.”

Recommended Videos

Related: Choose the Apple Watch that’s right for you

While sitting down in the trailer, he started playing with his two-week-old Apple Watch. He had already become a bit obsessed with checking his pulse, but when he did so this time, it wasn’t normal. It showed a rate of 210. “I turned to my helper and said: We need an ambulance.”

The paramedics determined that he was having a heart attack and they rushed him to Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton. Later, doctors cleared some blockages to prevent another occurrence.

What’s even more amazing is what he was told afterwards. Anselmo said, “They told me that if I had gone home and gone to bed — as many people do — I would likely have had another, more serious bout in the middle of the night. Those second attacks are the ones that kill. That is a common problem.”

Anselmo happens to be a watch fanatic. His wife Mary was against him buying the Apple Watch, but he didn’t listen. He said, “She complained, but after the heart attack she said ‘that watch has paid for itself,'”

Despite owning 35 other watches, the Apple Watch is now his favorite. “Since the incident the other 35 are locked up and don’t see daylight.”

Robert Nazarian
Robert Nazarian became a technology enthusiast when his parents bought him a Radio Shack TRS-80 Color. Now his biggest…
Apple is done with the $17,000 gold Apple Watch Edition
how to buy an apple watch edition 18 karat gold cases

The 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition. Apple

Apple recently classified its first-generation of Apple Watches as obsolete, according to an internal memo seen by MacRumors.

Read more
Watch all of Apple’s Wonderlust videos right here
View of the iPhone 15 Pro's camera module.

It was a big day for Apple on Tuesday as it unveiled new iPhones and Apple Watches while also offering an update on its efforts to become a greener company.

Continuing a trend that started during the pandemic when companies stepped away from holding large in-person gatherings, Apple’s Wonderlust event took the form of a slickly presented 83-minute video live-streamed on Tuesday morning PT.

Read more
Hermès offers new range of non-leather – and leather – bands for Apple Watch
An Apple Watch Hermes band.

Apple has strengthened its partnership with Hermès, with the luxury goods maker introducing new woven, knitted, and “sporty molded rubber” bands for the Apple Watch, the latest iteration of which was unveiled at the tech giant’s Wonderlust event on Tuesday.

In the day’s running up to Tuesday’s event, Hermès removed from its online store the leather bands for the Apple Watch 8. Combined with a claim by Bloomberg reporter and Apple tipster Mark Gurman that Apple was moving away from leather for environmental and sustainable reasons, speculation was rife about whether Apple might be on the verge of ending its partnership with the famous retailer.

Read more