A 20-year-old Army football player and his father are being praised for their heroics after they managed to rescue a driver from his crashed vehicle shortly before it was engulfed in flames.
Per ABC News, the Sunday incident occurred at Fort Montgomery, New York. Larry Pickett Jr., a second-year cadet with the U.S. Military Academy West Point and a Black Knights defensive player, was with his family at the time of the incident.
Pickett, together with his family, had gone out for dinner and were going back to West Point in the wee hours of Sunday when they spotted the vehicle involved in the crash, his father, Larry Pickett Sr., told WTVD. He also said that the vehicle had struck a utility pole after it seemingly veered off the road.
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Pickett Sr. said that though the crash caused the pole’s live wires to be exposed on the ground, he and his son ultimately overlooked the danger and approached the car. The father-son duo eventually managed to pull the trapped driver out of the car.
“There was no discussion. My son just jumped right into action,” Pickett Sr. told WTVD. “He mentioned his military training kicked in, and we pulled [the man] out. He took care of him on the side of the road until the police officers got there, and then the fire department got there shortly after.”
Pickett’s sister took a video of her brother and father rescuing the driver from the vehicle and getting him to safety shortly before the car was engulfed in flames. In a post on Facebook, the Fort Montgomery Fire Department also said that the car was “fully engulfed in flames” at the time fire personnel responded to the scene, ABC News reported.
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After the rescue, the driver was spotted at the scene and in a conscious state, a video shared by the Pickett family showed. Authorities are also investigating the cause of the crash.
“USMA is proud of the heroic actions taken Saturday night by Cadet Larry Pickett Jr, a second-year West Point cadet and Army West Point Football player, and his father, Larry Pickett Sr, who are seen pulling a driver to safety in a video online taken by the family,” the U.S. Military Academy said in a statement on Facebook on Sunday.
“Running towards danger to save lives is the embodiment of the Army Values and Warrior Ethos.”
In another social media post, Army athletic director Tom Theodorakis lauded Pickett Jr. and his father, saying that they “exemplify the values we hold dear, stepping up in a moment of crisis to save a life.”
Pickett Sr. also took to Instagram to share a video of the rescue and showered praises on his son.
“Thank you Jesus that this man will live to see another day! I am so grateful for my son LJ for saving his life! Not only is he making an impact in the classroom and on the football field at the United States Military Academy at West Point, but he’s also making a difference in his community!” Pickett wrote.
“Just after Midnight, I watched in awe as my son, Larry Pickett Jr., ran toward a burning vehicle, ignoring the downed power lines crackling around it. With immense courage, he pulled a man to safety, saving him from a fiery fate. This is more than a display of leadership; it’s a testament to the character West Point is building in him — a readiness to go into the line of fire, not just for his country, but for anyone who needs it. To see that courage and selflessness in action firsthand was truly incredible.”
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