April 28, 2010 by admin
OnStar Helps Transplant Patient
After being diagnosed with a rare lung disease, Georgia resident Alice Koone found herself on a waiting list for a double lung transplant.
In the wee hours of the morning, Alice received the call she had been waiting for: a match had been found. She just had to make it to the hospital in an hour to receive the transplant. No small task as Alice lived about 80 miles away and had only a tank and a half of oxygen.
Alice and her husband were 30 miles into the drive when they were caught in a traffic jam. With precious minutes ticking by, that’s when Koone thought of OnStar. Hear Koone tell the rest of her story in this video.
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Tags: Emergency Services
Onstar has been very helpfull many times. Flat tire, they get someone there immediately. Smell smoke, they can go over your car while driving down the road. And give you advice as to what needs to be done. They can ease your mind on may occasions.
Thanks OnStar::
Gail
I will never own a vehicle that does not have On Star. They are a life saver. I feel very confident when I am on the road while On Star is with me.
Like Rhonda, I will NEVER own a car without OnStar. Thankfully, I haven’t had an emergency myself, but I’ve had to report a few accidents. With OnStar, they know EXACTLY where you are…unlike 911 on a cell phone. Thank you OnStar for providing a comfort level a cell phone just can’t provide!
As a Physician I can only say that On-Star should be commended for what they did. It was also incredibly nice that the Police Department helped and of course the surgical team and doctors that had the knowledge to do what they did for this grateful patient. That is a situation that makes being a medical professional a worth while career…but it also makes the people at On-Star shine. Keep up the good work. After an experience like that , it is so nice to be able to go to sleep with those good thoughts. I certainly appreciate having On-Star in my car and hope I never need it for more than opening a locked door.
Kudos to all involved. A job well done .
While traveling recently, I rented a car and realized how much I missed my Onstar. I was in somewhat familure area, but got lost several times. With many appointments, I would have used Onstar five or six times while in the area. When I got home, I was so glad to have my Onstar again.
On several occasions I have had a need for OnStar. My transmission failed in a relatively new Chevy Tahoe several years ago on a Saturday and I was literally in the middle of “nowhere on a two-lane highway in the Texas hillcountry, It was very hot and I had my two dogs with me. What to do? I called Onstar and in less than 40 minutes I had been towed into the town of Brady and was on my way with my husband who met me there. I keep my subscription current because I travel alone alot and I feel much more confident when I know I have Onstar.
I will never leave home without it!! A disabled old goat like me needs the service that Onstar provides. Never worry, Onstar is there.
I LOVE this story! What a great way to let people know that this company can help you in a GRAND way!
I have had On-Star since I purchased my Chevy Malibu in 2005. It came equipped with On-Star. I love the idea that On-Star always knows where that car is, and in an emergency they will have help there in minutes. I am older, and don’t do a lot of driving, but where ever I do go I know I am protected by On-Star. I will never let myself be without that peace of mind. I also like that they can diagnose mechanical problems, unlock your doors, and are always there for you, like a guardian Angel.
Thank you On-Star. :) :)
Diane Petrell
I have never been disappointed with OnStar. Always professional, prompt, courteous and 24/7. always there. thank for the peace of mind and the superior service.
A touching story, for sure. I can relate to all those who appreciate their OnStar system for the “just in case.” I have used my system, too. I appreciate the wonderful patience and calmness in the representatives’ voices.
I connect to this story because I am a transplant recipient as well. I would have loved to have had OnStar in my vehicle at the time that I received “that” call, too. Thankfully, I got to the hospital 14+ years ago without a problem, despite the 2 hour drive to the hospital.
Yeah for teamwork!
What a beautiful story–I love happy endings, especially in real life. OnStar is a fabulous feature that I also really appreciate. Thanks for sharing this story with all of us.
I was involved in an accident with a hit and run driver. The driver was not speeding away but she just would not stop. I followed her for over five miles until she finally did turn off and stop. Onstar had been called immediately after the accident, stayed with me the entire trip, and had two patrol cars arrive at the scene of the stop almost immediately. I’ll never be without onstar. Thank you.
I had a different experience. My dash message told me my battery was dying so I headed to my mechanic–but never made it. The “beast” stopped dead in it’s tracks. I pressed the OnStar button located on my rear view mirror but there was no response. Luckily I had my cell phone with me and was able to get through that way.
I found out that both my alternator and battery had to be replaced. Can this possibly be the reason why no one responded to my plea? If you can’t get through to Onstar in an emergency like that what good is it?
Linda – While OnStar does work very hard to make systems safe, infrequently, incidents occur that may have caused the electrical system (including battery power) to become inoperable. That is an incident that is beyond our control and may prevent us from providing service at any particular time or place. I’m going to email you to get more information and look further into what happened that day.
The message (or warning light) was trying to tell you something. Before you let the battery die completely you should seek help. Keep driving until it’s too late is no solution.
The warning light was an indication that the alternator had failed and you were running on reserve battery only.
If you had pushed the OnStar button when the warning light first came on they would have been able to advise you and track your position until the battery died. Then knowing your position they could have dispatched a tow.
ONSTAR ALWAYS DOES A GREAT JOB !!!!
I have had Onstar on my GM vehicles since my first vehicle that offered it. In a time when we are trying to down-size our bills with our poorer economy, I have given up cable channels and satellite radio but I won’t give up my OnStar. I feel there is no better insurance policy for my health, safety, and life, than OnStar. I don’t go out that often but have already seen that accidents do occur often so close to home. In the event of an emergency, I know I have someone with me always. Thanks for posting these stories to let others see the very importance of this safety feature.
My 2006 Buick Lucerne is the first vehicle I have owned with OnStar. I have used OnStar services several times, and will not have a vehicle without OnStar. It is well worth the money to have the security of knowing that help is just a push button away. Always, the OnStar operators are very friendly, professional and accomodating. Thank you so much for such a great service.
Being a transplant patient myself I can relate to this story. 10 years ago on June 16 I received a liver transplant. At the time I had a new car but it was not equiped with On-Star. I had a 3 hour drive to make and it would have been so much easier if I had been able to have it by my side! I was given 4 hours from the time I got the call to checking in at the hospital and not knowing for sure where I was going was very stressful. I have both an 08 Silverado and a 2010 Ford Edge. I am 66, widowed, and I drive my truck more than the Edge. It is very comforting to know it’s there if I need it. (I also love my monthly reports)
It sounds like your doing well now, Mary. So glad to hear that!
I am still pretty new to Onstar, but I’ve been very happy with it so far. It came with the 2010 Chevy Cobalt I bought in March of this year. I have never had an emergency like the one this woman had, and hopefully I never will, but it’s nice to know it’s there in case I do get in a predicament. I’m very touched to see how Onstar and the local authorities handled Alice’s situation.
The only Onstar feature I’ve used so far is the turn by turn navigation. I really like that. It has come in handy a few times when traffic jams have formed on the freeway and I’ve needed an alternate route to work. However, I have noticed one little quirk with the navigation system. There have been two times when I’ve used it to get somewhere, and when I was approaching my destination, the system told me it was on the right side of the road when it was actually on the left side. Has anyone else had this problem? And if so, do you know of any explanations?
Don’t get me wrong. I still like Onstar and intend to pay for a subscription once my trial period ends, because I know that no technology is ever perfect. This just struck me as weird.
I am very happy that I have Onstar in our 09 Malibu. Never had to use it for an emergency but nice to know it is there. I just hope it works if needed. I have used the nav system 6 times and it has not been right even once. Half the time the address could not be found and when it did the directions were way off. I am glad that I did not have to depend on it 100%. That is why I say I hope the emergency part works if needed. I will keep my cell phone handy just in case.
We love our onstar. It is every where we go on the road
Do you do most of your driving for work or for fun?
[...] how OnStar Emergency Services also helped subscriber Alice Koone, whose chance for a lifesaving transplant was threatened by a traffic jam. Related Posts“Nobody [...]
One day, my young granddaughter wanted to know what all the buttons were on the mirror in our new Buick Allure CXL Of course, she pressed the red one!! However the On-Star emergency operator was very understanding.
Then another time we had a driver weaving all over the road in front of us and we pressed the red button. The operator was very good and knew exactly where we were. She put us straight away onto 911 but they never arrived. For that I blame the police and am grateful On-Star was there for us.
It’s a super system and I have proven it to be useful even in many remote areas of our province (Newfoundland) – but it’s too darned expensive for me to subscribe beyond the initial year!
I’m very happy to hear that Gail had On Star who ensured she was very well assisted to get to the hospital in time, and I wish her a long, healthy and happy life. What a frightening thing for her & her husband to have to go through. May Gail continue to be watched over by our Creator and OnStar. Wishing Gail and her family many blessings and peace.
I thought OnStar would be very help[ful for me since I am on my own, but my voice is not recognised by it,and most times I must make my calls through a technician. I am grateful for the help, but it can be very frustrating when you arrive at a destination before your call has gone through. I have spent many hours with technicians trying to rectify this problem, my family has been in Canada for many generations, and I do not have a speech impediment, but there is a major problem when I try to make a call. Has anyone else had this situation?
HI Judy, We have a section on onstar.com with some tip videos for using the voice recognition system. Take a look and see if these could help: http://www.onstar.com/web/portal/hfcvideo?tabVersion=B You can always press the blue button and the Advisor is always there to help too.
I have had On Star since 1995 and I have always been pleased with it. I don’t think I’ll ever get another car that doesn’t have this feature. The only thing that I worry about with On Star is that if your engine is not running, it doesn’t work. I hate to think that a horrible accident might leave your engine unable to function and if you don’t have a cell phone, you can’t call On Star.
Oooopps sorry, I put down 1995, I actually meant 2005. I’m not really a liar :(
I am very grateful for OnStar. I have had to use it to unlock the car when I accidentally locked my little one in there and when my husband hit a deer. OnStar definitely takes care of you and stays with you until help arrives. And considering I am the one who travels the most with my daughter I feel very confident that we are safe. Again thank you OnStar.
I am happy to know Gail had a good experience with On Star. We have been subscribers for a number of years. Also have had to use them a few times. There was one time I was very, very disappointed when they would not help me. At the time, my husband had dementia when he was on his way to our sons house and he got lost. When our son called to say his dad had not shown up I called On Star and explained the situation to them. They would not help me in finding where he was at. I was told I had to call my local police and have them call On Star. Maybe the gal from On Star thought I was a jealous wife checking up on her husband?
When I was involved in a rear-end collision with a van several years ago, the shock of the air bag deployment had not even worn off when the voice came over the On-Star system noting the air bag deployment and asking if I needed assistance. Although I was unhurt, I was concerned about the other driver and On-Star alerted the Fire Department and Police who both arrived in minutes. The firemen were most excited, exclaiming “we got a call from On-Star!” The whole thing worked just like the commercials on TV; what a system!
It’s too bad not everyone has the peace of mind of an On-Star system to back them up…
When I heard this story about the lung transplant about Alice Koone, it brought tears to my eyes. I am so glad that she & her husband had a happy ending. Good luck & all the best.
I have used OnStar twice to report accidents and to request emergency services, and although I was not personally involved in either accidents, the OnStars we the most professional individuals I have ever dealt with. The answered on the second ring and knew exactly where I was, asked what was required, and connectec me through to the appropriate civil authority. My grandson was with me and his words when the call was finished were, “WOW Pop, I want OnStar in any car I buy”. He is now 14. Cudos to all OnStar Operators.
Thanks for the kind words Art, and appreciate your calls for others.