Wilmington University student shares how Apple Watch feature saved her life on 'Fox & Friends'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Natalie Nasatka, a graduate student at Wilmington University, appeared on the January 6 episode of 'Fox & Friends' to share a near-fatal experience where her Apple Watch became a lifesaver.

Speaking with co-host Steve Doocy, Nasatka recalled experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning in her apartment on the last week of December 2023.

What did Natalie Nasatka experience?

"When I woke up and had breakfast, I was feeling still exhausted, and so I decided to cancel personal training and take a nap," she said. However, she continued to feel tired, dizzy, and weak afterward.

She recalled, "Even walking up the stairs, I was dizzy, disoriented, had absolutely no energy. I pulled myself upstairs and flopped into bed, and I had absolutely no energy for anything. As I was feeling myself sort of like drift away, all of a sudden I got extremely scared, and I was like, this is not good."

She continued, "I held down the button (on her Apple Watch), and I was connected to 911. And I took a stab in the dark and I said, this is possibly CO poisoning."

Which feature on the Apple Watch saved Natalie Nasatka's life?

Apple Watch now comes with a built-in feature that allows users to automatically call local law enforcement and even share their location in case of emergencies.

Upon holding down the side button on the watch for five seconds, a menu appears on the screen. From there, users can either select the Emergency SOS option or continue pressing the button to initiate a countdown. Going for the latter option prompts the watch to call emergency services.

Nasatka had already lost consciousness by the time first responders arrived at the scene and had to be kept under observation for 24 hours in the emergency room before being released.

The fire department reports that the level of carbon monoxide in Nasatka's apartment was dangerously high at 80 parts per million, while the concentration of the gas in her blood was 33%.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, homes without gas stoves have an average carbon monoxide level between 0.5 to 5 parts per million. Moreover, even near properly adjusted gas stoves, the levels range between 5 to 15 ppm, and those near poorly adjusted stoves may be 30 ppm or higher.

"If I didn't have the Apple Watch, I probably would have just fallen asleep because the phone was downstairs," Nasatka stated.

The apartment did not have a carbon monoxide detector, which was later installed by the management. A faulty heater may have led to the gas leak but has now been fixed.

How deadly is carbon monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, and colorless gas that is produced when fuels such as propane or wood burn, usually with a limited supply of oxygen.

Poisoning takes place when there is a very high concentration of the gas in the surrounding air, and it is built up in the blood.

More than 400 people die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning, while roughly 100,000 have to visit emergency rooms and over 14,000 have to be hospitalized, according to the CDC.