September 1, 2025

Army football player, father rescue man from burning car

  • Army football player Larry Pickett Jr. rescued a man from a burning car in Fort Montgomery, New York.
  • Pickett Jr., with his father’s help, pulled the man from the vehicle moments before it was engulfed in flames.
  • The car crash involved a vehicle entangled with downed power lines after hitting a utility pole.

In a dramatic incident in Fort Montgomery, New York, an Army football player risked his life to save a man from a burning vehicle on Sunday morning.

Larry Pickett Jr., a redshirt freshman from Raleigh, North Carolina, and a second-year cadet at a service academy, was with his family when they encountered a car crash that had left a vehicle entangled in power lines. In a video posted on social media by his family, Pickett Jr. is seen demonstrating quick thinking and courage. With the help of his father, he lifted a man from the vehicle and carried him to safety just moments before the car burst into flames.

The Fort Montgomery Fire Department confirmed that a vehicle crashed into a utility pole, resulting in fallen power lines.

The U.S. Military Academy issued a statement on social media praising Pickett Jr. and his father for their heroic actions, which embody the values of the U.S. Army. The Army’s athletic director also commented on Pickett Jr.’s actions, stating, ‘This is exactly what we strive to develop at West Point: leadership, courage, and selfless service.’

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