William T. Richards, III

William T. Richards III died attempting to save John C. Forrester from drowning, Jenkinsburg, Georgia, July 7, 1963. Forrester, 16, schoolboy, and two other youths waded onto a submerged rock ledge in the Towaliga River and fell from it into a whirlpool seven feet deep and 30 feet in diameter at the base of High Falls. They called for help as the current carried them around the whirlpool, and they were submerged briefly each time they passed under the waterfall. Richards, 16, schoolboy, and Larry D. Loden waded onto the ledge and squatted alongside the whirlpool. Richards held Loden’s hand and then grasped the hand of Forrester when he was carried to their side of the pool. The current swept Forrester on by, pulling both Richards and Loden into the whirlpool. All three became separated. Richards was washed from the whirlpool into a natural rock chute which carried him rapidly downstream to rocks atop a smaller waterfall. He remained inert. Loden and Forrester also were washed into the rock chute, from which they were able to reach shallow water safely. Using ropes, others pulled the two remaining youths from the pool. After regaining some wind and strength, Loden swam 50 feet to Richards and applied mouth-to-mouth resuscitation without success. The father of Richards waded along the rocks in the river with a rope held by others on the bank. He and Loden tied the rope around Richards and began to wade to the bank with him. The father lost his footing and was swept over the smaller falls but emerged safely. Loden, with the aid of the rope, reached the bank with Richards, who could not be revived.