Siri saves Rutherford County teen after truck collapse

Siri. Intelligent assistant. Hero.

Sam Ray might have wanted a Samsung Galaxy Note 3, but from now on, he's brand loyal to Apple. Especially since his iPhone's Siri function saved his life.

"I guess I'm stuck with an iPhone for the rest of my life," Ray said. "I owe them that."

The 18-year-old was working under his 1998 Black Dodge Dakota at his Rutherford County residence last month when the jack propping up the vehicle collapsed, pinning him under almost 5,000 pounds. The teen's left hand was stuck under the truck, but he used his right hand to bang a tire iron against the vehicle.

No one was home, and out of sight from the road and out of earshot, Ray needed a miracle. He recalled praying, and that's when he heard Siri's voice from his back pocket. After a few tries, Ray was able to get his iPhone to call 911 by pressing his butt into the phone.

Ray couldn't hear everything dispatchers said, but he heard someone initially say "hello." And at first, Rutherford County dispatcher Christina Lee believed it was just a butt dial.

"We get a lot of pocket dials, and I thought it was a pocket dial at first," she said. "But then I heard the screams for help."

By triangulating Ray's cellphone signal, the dispatcher generally knew his location. But it was quick thinking on Ray's part that made the difference in saving his life.

"The map got to his street ... it got pretty close," Lee said. "But he was yelling his address, and that was the best thing he could have done."

Ray believed it was the end for him.

"I could feel myself slipping," he said. "I was starting to accept that I wouldn't get out."

But help arrived in the form of a volunteer firefighter, who propped the truck up with a jack. Once firefighters were on the scene, they freed Ray and he was airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Ray was trapped under the truck for about 40 minutes.

Dusty Ray, Sam's father, recalled getting a phone call from his son and telling him not to work under the car without anyone at home. Sam had removed the front two tires and was inspecting the brakes and brake lines.

"I told him to get out of there," he said. "I told him I'll be home in an hour and I'll help you."

After the call, Sam Ray tried to get out from under the car and that's when the truck collapsed onto him.

Rick Miller, Vanderbilt's chief of trauma and surgical care, said Ray was in good condition, despite suffering several broken ribs, a bruised kidney, cuts, a concussion and burns to his left arm. He called Ray lucky.

"Sometimes these crush injuries can be devastating and can kill you," Miller said. "This story is definitely unique to modern-day technology. I've never heard of a story where you can figure out a way to use Siri to call 911 and get yourself rescued."

And Ray is thanking his stars, God and Siri.

He even tried to tell Siri his gratitude. She asked for what, he said.

"It's modest, it's just a modest machine," Ray said.

Reach Jason Gonzales at 615-259-8047 and on Twitter @ByJasonGonzales.