March 30, 2010
“I knew I only had enough oxygen for a little over an hour” – Alice Koone
“In December 2007, I finally received a called from Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, GA. I had been on a waiting list for a double lung tansplant. At that time, I was on 10 liters of oxygen (even resting) just to survive. I only had two portable tanks full. Each one would last only about 35 or 40 minutes. They told me I had only a little over an hour to get to the hospital which is 80 miles from my house.
When we got about 30 miles down the interstate (which was under construction at the time) we hit grid locked traffic. People were actually out of their cars walking around. Someone came by and told us that there was a wreck up ahead with fatalities and we could be stuck there for hours. Panic set in. I knew I only had enough oxygen for a little over an hour. Then I said to my husband, ‘Hey, remember ya’ll made me keep that OnStar deal? I have never used it, but I think you just press this button. Let’s give it a try.’
We did and the OnStar operator came on and ask us what we needed. We explained the situation. She contacted the Coweta county law enforcement. They told us to sit in the car and just keep blinking our lights until they found us. OnStar remained on the line along with the Coweta County officers.
They found us, maneuvered the traffic to get us to the left shoulder, and escorted us through the scene of the accident and sent us on our way. About two miles downthe road…….Grid locked traffic AGAIN !!! OnStar was still on the line along with the police. They found us again and escorted us through yet another accident. In the mean time, OnStar had contacted my transplant team to let them know the situation.She also contacted the Atlanta area law enforcement. Now everybody was involved. The transplant team would ask where we were. I would tell them ‘I don’t know’. OnStar would then respond by telling our exact location and would let them know about how many minutes it would be until we arrived at the emergency room. The translant team said the would give me until 6:00 am to arrive. Escorted down the interstate, we finally made it to the hospital. I looked at the clock on the wall as we checked in. It was 6:02. We had made it just in time. OnStar had remained on line with us until we arrived at the hospital. THANK YOU !! If it had not been for OnStar, there is no doubt in my mind that we would have never made it there in time. With out this transplant I would not have made it much longer. I am now very healthy, happy, and active. I still am driving my 2005 Trailblazer. When and if I ever get a new car, it most definitly include OnStar. THANK YOU, ONSTAR !!!!!!!!”
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Tags: Alice Koone, Atlanta Georgia, Chevy, Coweta County Police, Emory University Hospital, TrailBlazer, Transplant
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With reading this story about Alice’s experience, my decision to call them “Onstar Angels”,definitely makes sense. To me, without a doubt,this is one of the most awesome services available. It just makes my passion for driving that much more a safe and secure experience. God bless and keep you,our Onstar Angels!!,and congratulations, Alice in your new life! God’s miracles never cease to amaze me!!!
This is great! I have my first ever OnStar equipped vehicle and I’ll never own anything without it. I have not yet had to use it but the peace of mind it gives me is worth every penny!
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by ahalabou: How OnStar helped save a life. “I knew I only had enough oxygen for a little over an hour” http://b2l.me/jka8k #OnStar…
This is the exact reason I have a vehicle with onstar and will only own General Motors vehicles. Ive heard some people say onstar is stupid and I have a cell phone. A cell phone will NEVER be able to do what onstar did for this woman and for people every day. We get a discount with our insurance for having onstar active. We were traveling across country and they helped us many times find a place to stay and even got us room rates and what was in the area. When you are on a lonely freeway road at night and no other cars around and your cell phone DOESNT work onstar does. Its like your car is a guardian angel. If I need help all I have to do is piush the button and if I am in a accident my car will call out for help for me. NO other auto maker has a service this good. We had a mercedes and they have a version called Tele aid. It is NOTHING and I mean NOTHING compared to Onstar. We will always have it and keep it active!
This is a touching story. I too feel so safe when I am in my car with Onstar. I am an older woman and when I am traveling with my grandchildren I feel secure with Onstar just in case of an emergency. I have told the grandchildren, if anything happens to me to just press the button and someone would be there instantly to help and they would need not be afraid. As you get older anything could happen at any time like a heart attack or stroke. Hope that never happens but if it does I have a guardian angel called Onstar.
Ann – Love to hear that your taught our Grandkids how to use Onstar, we had a little 7 year old girl that had to do that for her mom, did you see this story? http://onstarconnections.com/crashesemergencies-2/quick-thinking-7-year-old-pushes-button-for-help Safe travels, Stacy
A Life Saved. Hip hip Hooray. A BIG shout out for ONSTAR.
Alice is my sister. Her story appears on the site telling her ordeal and how Onstar helped save her life by keeping her connected with her transplant team and getting her to the hospital on time. Thank you OnStar for your constant help.
What a great OnSTAR story! I’ve known Alice for 45+ years and OnStar could not have helped a kinder and more deserving person! What an answered prayer and personal victory for Alice and for OnStar.
I worked for General Motors/Delphi Corp. for 30 years and I can say with pride
that OnStar is fantastic.
The concept and Idea of a communications system to help track lost or stolen
vehicles has evolved into a life saving system.
I have heard many stories where OnStar has helped people recover their vehicles, helped in life saving or life threatening situations and just plain giving
directions to a lost driver to arrive at his/her destination safely.
Not only does the OnStar system work, it works well beyond what the original
idea of what it was meant to do.
OnStar operators are highly trained group of people who are dedicated to their work in assisting GM vehicle owners who may need help it in times of emergency or other situations requiring police assistance, reporting accidents, bad road conditions or helping out a lost driver get back on the right road. Without them, OnStar would not work as well at it does.
My thought on the matter of OnStar is this: It’s better to have it and hopefully not use it, than to not have and find that you need it.
Jeff Dubitsky
I am Alice’s oldest sister. Thank you, Onstar for being there when my family needed you. To the transplant team and the family who donated organs of a loved one, many thanks are due. But the greatest thanks are to God for putting everyone in place in order for this to happen. Thank you to everyone who had a part and a great thank you to Onstar.