Cadet safety Larry Pickett Jr. showed courage off the field when he and his father pulled a driver from a fiery wreck.
When fans think of football heroes, they picture big plays on Saturdays. But last weekend, Army safety Larry Pickett Jr. proved his bravery under the harshest lights, flames, live wires, and a stranger’s life on the line.
Pickett, a sophomore at West Point, was returning from dinner with his family when he and his father came across a car crash in Fort Montgomery, New York. The white sedan had smashed into a utility pole, sparks flying as flames began to spread. Without hesitation, father and son charged toward danger.
They forced open the car door and pulled the trapped driver to safety, carrying him across the road just before the vehicle exploded. Video posted by Pickett’s sister showed the tense moments as bystanders shouted, “Get him out!”
As fire crews arrived to find the car fully engulfed, Pickett kept the man calm and safe, crediting his military training for guiding his response.
West Point leaders praised the rescue as the embodiment of Army values. Athletic director Tom Theodorakis wrote that the Picketts’ actions “exemplify the values we hold dear, stepping up in a moment of crisis to save a life.”
Football teaches toughness, but what Pickett showed was something deeper: instinct, courage, and character when it mattered most.
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