CINCINNATI (WKRC) – Mohammad Islam thought he was dealing with a minor illness when he called off work a few weeks ago.

Hours later, he collapsed outside his home and said he likely would not have survived if his Apple Watch had not detected the fall and called 911.

Mohammad Islam thought he was dealing with a minor illness when he called off work a few weeks ago. Hours later, he collapsed outside his home and said he likely would not have survived if his Apple Watch had not detected the fall and called 911. (WKRC, Provided)

Islam said he started feeling “a little sick” that day, with pain near his ear, stomach issues, shortness of breath, and difficulty walking more than a few steps at a time. He went to a clinic, but the medical staff could not find anything wrong, he said. After giving him medicine, they sent him home.

A few hours later, Islam said he nearly died while taking out the trash.

“As soon as I turned around, I just collapsed. I passed out, and I don’t remember anything after that,” Islam said.

Islam said his wife was not home and his daughters live a few hours away.

“I don’t know how long I was there, and suddenly, my eyes opened up, and I was on the ground and sweating like crazy. I tried to get up but couldn’t. There was a chair, so I held it and [was able to sit] down. Then I heard the sirens coming in,” he said.

Islam said his Apple Watch automatically called for help after detecting the fall.

“I know that there was some kind of a feature in the Apple Watch that if you fall down. Because when I work in the yard or something and I bang my hand, it says, ‘Hey, did you fall down? Should we call? Should I ask about something that I said?’ No. So, it wasn’t in the back of my mind, but I did not know that it called 911,” Islam said.

Doctors later determined Islam was suffering from blood clots in his lungs. He credited the watch’s emergency feature and the work of UC medical staff with saving his life.

{p}Mohammad Islam thought he was dealing with a minor illness when he called off work a few weeks ago. Hours later, he collapsed outside his home and said he likely would not have survived if his Apple Watch had not detected the fall and called 911. (WKRC){/p}

Mohammad Islam thought he was dealing with a minor illness when he called off work a few weeks ago. Hours later, he collapsed outside his home and said he likely would not have survived if his Apple Watch had not detected the fall and called 911. (WKRC)

“I’m still trying to figure out what really happened. And why I’m alive. I mean, this is really a chance that, you know, if my watch would have dialed 911 and the paramedic wouldn’t have come within five minutes or for ten minutes,” Islam said.

Islam said his daughters were thrilled the gift they gave their father saved his life.

“They were overjoyed. And they. They gave a gift to their mother. Also the Apple Watch. And every day they call me. They say, ‘Are you wearing your Apple Watch?’ They’re overjoyed that their gift saved me,” he said.

Islam’s doctors are still trying to determine what caused the blood clots, which he said came out of nowhere. In the meantime, he is taking medicine to break down any existing or future clots until doctors can determine what happened.