Willard Richards' Brother Miraculously Rescued from Drowning in Early Childhood

Willard Richards survived multiple life-threatening accidents in his childhood that foreshadowed his protected life throughout his apostolic ministry. When he was only four years old, Willard fell from the scaffold of a barn directly onto his head, sustaining a severe injury. Almost immediately after recovering from this fall, another near-fatal incident occurred: 'Soon after he fell into a stream of water, and would have been drowned had not his brother Levi providentially rescued him.' This timely rescue by his brother prevented what would have been certain death by drowning. These early preservations were attributed to divine Providence watching over young Willard's life, preparing him for his future role as an apostle and intimate counselor to Joseph Smith.