Army football player Larry Pickett Jr. made his college football debut and recorded his first tackle in Friday night’s 30-27 overtime loss to Tarleton State, but the most memorable part of his weekend came early Sunday morning. Pickett and his family were on their way back from a dinner when they saw a car on fire after hitting a utility pole.
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The crash occurred in Fort Montgomery, New York, according to information obtained by ESPN, which is about 5 miles from West Point. Pickett and his father, Larry Pickett Sr., pulled a man from the wreckage and stayed with him until emergency personnel arrived.
The elder Pickett posted video of the heroic rescue on social media, along with a description of their experience. In the post, he thanked the fire and police departments that responded, as well as his daughter, Lauren, for taking the video. First, though, he praised God that the man’s life was saved.
“Thank you Jesus that this man will live to see another day!” he wrote. “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!”
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As the car became engulfed in flames and the disoriented driver asked the Picketts what happened, the men told him God was protecting him. “The Lord is with you,” they can be heard saying in the video. “… You’ve just got to praise Him … You’ve got to thank Jesus. … You are blessed. … The airbag kept you and Jesus kept you.”
After firefighters and medics arrived, Larry Sr. asked his son how he was feeling. “I’m just grateful that we got him out, honestly,” Larry Jr. said. “… That could have been really bad for him and his family.”
“Larry’s heroic actions embody everything we strive to instill in our cadet-athletes — courage, selflessness, and a willingness to put others before themselves,” Army head coach Jeff Monken wrote on X. “In that critical moment, he didn’t think of himself, only of helping another person in need. We are incredibly proud of Larry for the way he represented his family, our Army Football brotherhood, and the values of West Point.”
Larry’s heroic actions embody everything we strive to instill in our cadet-athletes — courage, selflessness, and a willingness to put others before themselves. In that critical moment, he didn’t think of himself, only of helping another person in need. We are incredibly proud of… https://t.co/BaNpq8zHez
— Jeff Monken (@CoachJeffMonken) September 1, 2025
In an interview Monday with CBS News, Larry Jr. said, “It just goes back to selfless service and the willingness to serve others. It feels good but in the end I’m just glad that everyone’s OK.”
Faith is a central part of Pickett’s life. He calls himself a “Son of the Father” on Instagram, where he declared in June 2024 that one of his areas of focus was seeking the Lord.
“I’ve been focusing on improving not proving, seeking God’s heart, embracing and enjoying the journey but still focused on the destination, being more intentional with my words and actions, and stopped trying to become what I already was,” he wrote.
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Pickett — whose uncle is 12-year NFL veteran Ike Taylor, who won two Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh Steelers — and the Golden Knights (0-1) travel to face Kansas State (1-1) on Saturday. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN.
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