How a Facebook Post Saved Two Travelers' Lives
On Wednesday, Aug. 22 (about 4:30am in Bali on Aug. 23), Michael Lythcott posted a single message to his Facebook. “Help,” it said. “In danger. Call police.”
Lythcott, a 36-year-old American traveling with a friend, Stacey Eno, had just arrived in Bali, Indonesia, earlier that day. The two were riding a scooter back to their hotel when the bike wiped out on a curve. “We hit the brakes like normal, but we didn’t stop for some reason,” Lythcott said.
Hours later, Lythcott regained consciousness on his back. “I don’t remember hitting the ground,” Lythcott told TPG in an email, “just coming to in the dark, on my back.” Eno was nearby and responsive, but both were badly injured — and trapped on a steep ravine.
“[I] managed to find a strong vine in the dark and got myself in a stable position. I then realized full well my injuries,” Lythcott said. Neither Eno nor Lythcott could move. “That’s when I first thought we would die there.”
Lythcott couldn’t sit up, but he was able to check his jacket pocket for his American phone, an iPhone 7 Plus. His other phone, with a local SIM card, had been lost in the accident. After turning on data roaming, Lythcott was able to acquire a signal — and with only 42% battery, he immediately reached out to his international network.
“I needed a way to [reach] as many people as possible. I have 2,600 Facebook friends from years of living in the US, Canada, Spain, Portugal [and the] UK … I needed [the] maximum [number of] eyes looking for me.”
Because Eno and Lythcott had veered off a remote jungle road, Lythcott was also counting on Facebook’s GPS pin capabilities and audio call feature. That’s when he posted his single, frantic SOS cry on his Facebook page.
“I didn’t know at the time, but lots of people were mobilizing instantly.” Calls on WhatsApp and Facebook were reaching him within minutes.
Lythcott dropped a pin on his location, which friends and family members used to determine the injured travelers' location. They also called the consulate, the local Bali police and contacts on the ground, according to CNN.
Members of the US consulate in Indonesia reached Lythcott on his phone just before the battery died and, using the GPS information from the pin, coordinated a rescue.
Within four hours, rescuers had reached Eno and Lythcott with a flatbed truck and transported them to a nearby hospital.
There, they discovered the extent of their injuries. Eno had suffered a broken wrist and facial injuries (fractured cheekbones and a broken nose). Lythcott, meanwhile, had a fractured vertebrae, a perforated bowel, fractured ribs, a fractured skull and collapsed lungs.
"I spent 10 days in the hospital," Lythcott said. "I learned the SOS had over 500 comments and was [the] reason we were found. I'm still amazed people from all over made it work. I'm grateful beyond measure."
At this time, Lythcott is still in Bali. He told TPG he'd be returning to Atlanta to recover with family for two or three months. He was only just cleared to fly on Thursday. Eno is back in South Korea, where she teaches English.
Both Eno and Lythcott's families have started GoFundMe pages to cover expenses such as hospital bills and physical therapy. In the approximately two weeks since the nightmarish accident, more than $47,430 has been raised by friends, family and well-wishers.
Life-saving technology
"Tech saved us," Lythcott said of the ordeal. "I was scared until we got a signal."
In the future, Lythcott will consider traveling with a pocket Wi-Fi hotspot, and he'll continue to carry a phone with a local SIM card — only next time, he'll keep it secured in an inside pocket. "That's the only way my iPhone 7 Plus didn't fly into the dark like my [other] iPhone 6 ... which had a new battery and local SIM."
Lythcott also plans to check in on Facebook more often so there is a "digital trail" of his adventures.
"Always post where you are," he added. "We could have died [in a] '127 Hours' scenario had I lost both phones."
Other types of tech can also be helpful in life-threatening situations, too. The Apple Watch, for example, has an Emergency SOS feature that dials 911 or initiates a call with a local emergency service.
With iOS 11, iPhones also received a built-in emergency feature that works similarly: Push the side-right button five times to reach 911 or the local emergency line.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.