Cadet Larry Pickett Jr.
U.S. Military Academy at West Point | Army Football Safety | Soldier's Medal Recipient
It's just after midnight on a quiet stretch of Route 9W in Fort Montgomery, New York. A family is heading home after a long, happy weekend: a college football game, a dinner in the city, and the kind of time together that's hard to come by when your son is a cadet at West Point.
Then, up ahead, sparks light up the dark.
A vehicle has slammed into a utility pole. Live power lines are down around it. And someone is still inside.
In the next 60 seconds, a 20-year-old cadet would make a choice that most people hope they never have to make. He would run toward the danger.
Who He Is
Larry Pickett Jr., known to his family as "LJ," is a cadet in West Point's Class of 2028 and a safety on the Army West Point football team. He grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he played football at Enloe High School before choosing West Point, a school where every student trains to become a U.S. Army officer after graduation.
At West Point, LJ lives a life most 20-year-olds couldn't imagine. He's a full-time student, a Division I athlete, and a future Army leader, all at once. Every part of his day is built around discipline, teamwork, and putting others first.
He had no idea those lessons were about to be tested off the field.
A Weekend to Remember
The weekend started as a celebration. On Friday, August 29, 2025, LJ played in Army's season opener against Tarleton State at Michie Stadium, assisting on a tackle on a kickoff in the first quarter. It was the first tackle of his Army football career, and his family was there to see it.
The next night, the Picketts had dinner in New York City's Times Square before driving back toward campus. LJ, his father Larry Pickett Sr., a West Point graduate himself, and his sister Lauren were only a few miles from the Academy when they saw the crash.
Running Toward Danger
The scene was chaotic. A vehicle had crashed into a utility pole on Route 9W, and the impact had brought down live electrical wires. They were sparking all around the car.
To understand just how dangerous that was, consider this: according to the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, the downed lines included a primary line carrying more than 12,000 volts. That's enough electricity to kill a person instantly.
Inside the car was the driver, David Denton. He was barely responsive and still strapped in.
He and his father jumped out of their car and ran toward the wreck. LJ stepped over the downed power lines and reached the driver's side door. When he opened it, he found the man still buckled into his seatbelt.
A live wire was under the car. LJ could feel heat coming off the vehicle. He tried to pull the driver out on his own, but quickly realized he needed help. His father rushed in beside him. LJ took the man's upper body while his dad grabbed his legs.
At one point, Pickett Sr. lost his footing and fell near a downed line. He got right back up and kept going.
Behind them, Lauren was recording on her phone. In the video, a woman can be heard urging Larry to hurry and get the man out.
Together, father and son lifted the driver from his seat and carried him all the way across Route 9W to safety. Then they stayed with him until police, firefighters, and paramedics arrived.
60 Seconds
Here's what makes this story so remarkable.
About one minute after LJ started running toward the vehicle, its tires began popping. Then the entire vehicle erupted in flames.
It burned until its metal frame sat on the pavement. And it wasn't the only threat nearby. West Point later reported that a large above-ground propane tank sat roughly 10 feet from the wreck.
When professional emergency crews arrived, they had to set up a safety perimeter and wait for the electricity to be shut off before firefighters could safely move in. LJ and his dad had already gone into that area, before the fire and before anyone could make the scene safe.
Looking back, LJ has asked himself the question that still gives his family chills: "What if we got there just a minute later?"
The driver was disoriented, but thanks to their quick action, he suffered only minor injuries.
A Father's Pride
For Pickett Sr., watching his son that night was something he'll never forget. He shared that LJ said his military training kicked in, and he simply jumped into action.
He also credited West Point, calling his son's actions proof of the character the Academy is building in him: a readiness to go into the line of fire, not just for his country, but for anyone who needs it.
LJ, for his part, doesn't see himself as a hero. "It just goes back to selfless service," he said, adding that he was thankful to be in the right place at the right time, and just glad everyone was okay.
A Nation Takes Notice
Once Lauren's video spread online, praise poured in.
- The Secretary of the Army, Dan Driscoll, said the 20-year-old represents the highest values of the Army and West Point: duty, honor, country.
- West Point said it was proud of the heroic actions taken by LJ and his father.
- Army Athletic Director Tom Theodorakis said the Picketts showed exactly the leadership, courage, and selfless service the program works to develop.
The Soldier's Medal
On March 12, 2026, LJ was honored in front of the Academy. At West Point's annual Founder's Day Dinner, surrounded by family, friends, and fellow cadets, Superintendent Lt. Gen. Steve Gilland personally pinned the Soldier's Medal on his uniform.
It's an honor very few people ever receive. Here's why it matters:
- The medal was established in 1926 and is the most significant decoration a soldier can earn for heroism outside of combat.
- It requires a clear personal risk and heroism comparable to earning the Distinguished Flying Cross in combat.
- Past recipients include Colin Powell, Col. Aaron Bank, known as "the father of the Green Berets," and Lt. Edith Ellen Greenwood, an Army nurse honored in 1943.
- Only a small group of West Point cadets have ever received it, dating back to 1939.
More Than One Hero
The recognition didn't stop with LJ. Back home, the City of Raleigh declared December 10 "Larry Pickett Day" in honor of both father and son. The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission also announced that Larry Pickett Sr. would receive the Carnegie Medal for Heroism for his part in the rescue.
True to form, Pickett Sr. has pointed the spotlight elsewhere. He noted that if something like this happened again, nobody would be calling him. "They're going to call 911," he said, adding that the recognition should really go to the people who respond to emergencies every day.
Leadership Before Commissioning
LJ hasn't graduated yet. He isn't an Army officer yet. That night, he wasn't on duty, wasn't on a mission, and wasn't part of any organized response. He was just a son riding home with his family after a football weekend.
But when a stranger needed help, he showed exactly what West Point is designed to build in its future leaders:
- He recognized the danger and didn't let it freeze him.
- He took responsibility when no one else was there to.
- He worked as a team, knowing when to call in his father for help.
- He acted fast, because he knew seconds mattered.
At AED Professionals, we know that the first moments of an emergency often decide the outcome, long before professional help can arrive. The people who step up in those moments are usually ordinary people who simply choose to act. Cadet Pickett is a powerful reminder of what that choice looks like.
Today, we Honor a Hero by recognizing Cadet Larry Pickett Jr. for his courage, his selfless service, and the life he saved on Route 9W.
