West Point cadet from Raleigh earns soldier's medal for car fire rescue

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Raleigh native and U.S. Military Academy cadet has been awarded the Soldier's Medal, the Army's highest honor for heroism outside of combat.

Cadet Larry Pickett Jr., a sophomore at West Point and graduate of Enloe High School, received the medal last week for rescuing a man from a burning car while traveling with his father in upstate New York in September.

According to the Army, the award was presented on behalf of the president, the Pentagon and the secretary of the Army.

Pickett and his father were driving home from dinner when they saw the crash and pulled the driver from the vehicle moments before it became engulfed in flames.