> At a Glance
> – Dustin Hayes survived a Jan. 2 crash after his helmet’s Cardo Packtalk Pro pinged wife Brooke with GPS coordinates
> – Brooke found him 30 minutes later down an embankment where passing cars couldn’t spot him
> – Why it matters: The $400 comms device shaved hours off rescue time, likely preventing fatal exposure
Brooke Hayes was cooking dinner when her phone flashed an “urgent” push-pin on a lonely stretch of New River Road north of Phoenix. The Bluetooth unit inside husband Dustin’s helmet had auto-sent a crash alert at 9 p.m.-and then gone silent.
The Rescue
Brooke drove the 30-minute route while on the line with 911. Reaching the GPS spot, she saw nothing until “a gut feeling” led her over a fence with a flashlight. She spotted Dustin’s bike and then Dustin, unconscious and crumpled in brush invisible from the roadway.
> Brooke Hayes recalled:
> > “Cars passing by couldn’t see him … I don’t think people would have found him until morning.”
Paramedics arrived ten minutes later; they told her surviving a 30-minute layoff in 50-degree desert air was “shocking.”
Injuries & Recovery
Doctors placed the 34-year-old in a medically induced coma. His injuries include:
- 20 broken bones (neck, spine, ribs, both arms)
- Brain bleed and major concussion
- Collapsed lung and lacerated spleen
A GoFundMe-started to cover rent, utilities and months of rehab-has raised $8,200 toward a $9,000 goal.
How the Tech Worked
| Device | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Cardo Packtalk Pro | Detected sudden impact | Auto-texted Brooke with map link |
| Brooke’s phone | Received “urgent” banner | Drove to pin, called 911 en-route |
| Combined | 30-min rescue window | Dustin alive, now coming out of coma |
Key Takeaways
- Bluetooth comms aren’t just for chatter-they can auto-dial for help when a rider can’t
- Precise GPS shaved what could have been an overnight search into a 30-minute rescue
- The couple’s $400 helmet add-on is being credited with saving Dustin’s life
Brooke plans to keep the reminder handy: “I saved your life-do the dishes.”
