A Glendale couple was rescued thanks to a new iPhone feature after a car crash sent them a harrowing 300 feet down into a canyon, with no cellphone service.
Cloe Fields and Chrisitan Zelada credit the search and rescue teams who hoisted them to safety for saving their life, as well as a new feature on their iPhone 14.
The couple crashed Tuesday afternoon after losing control of their car in the Angeles National Forest north of Los Angeles, ending up at the bottom of Monkey Canyon.
“First thought is what is happening, this isn’t real,” Fields said. “We were hanging upside down. (Zelada) was assessing the situation while I was hyperventilating and crying."
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After they fought their way out of the car, they found Fields’ cellphone but there was no cell service.
Luckily for them she had recently upgraded to an iPhone 14 which comes with an emergency SOS system that uses crash detection and satellite technology.
“It said emergency services are ready to be contacted, you just have to swipe it,” Fields said.
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LA County search and rescue teams received the couple's coordinates and immediately sprang into action. Officials said without the new technology, they wouldn't have been alerted, because no one saw the couple crash.
The couple feels lucky to tell the tale, with just a few bruises and scrapes.
“You’ve gotta keep moving on when you get a second chance at life and realistically that’s what we got,” Zelada said.
They couple set up a GoFundMe to help with their medical bills.
