A Raleigh father who pulled a stranger from a burning SUV tangled in live power lines has been named one of 16 recipients of the 2026 Carnegie Medal, the country's highest honor for civilian heroism. Larry Pickett Sr., a 46-year-old business owner who operates a multimedia business, and his son Larry Pickett Jr. rescued David Denton from his crashed vehicle outside Fort Montgomery, New York, on Aug. 31, 2025, freeing him just before the SUV became fully engulfed in flames.
A Crash, a Downed Pole and a Split-Second Decision
Denton had been driving when his SUV veered off the roadway and struck a utility pole, according to the Guardian. The impact brought the pole and its power lines down onto the road and onto Denton's vehicle; the Guardian reported the lines carried a total of at least 14,000 volts, while the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission described the setup as a primary line carrying more than 12,000 volts alongside a secondary line carrying 200 volts. The elder Pickett has said the moment demanded immediate action, and he and his son advanced toward the vehicle, opened Denton's driver-side door and removed his seatbelt to pull him free.
Pickett Jr. then carried Denton across the four-lane road and laid him down on grass, putting distance between the injured driver and the wreck. The SUV was fully engulfed in flames soon after, according to the Times Hudson Valley, and Fort Montgomery Fire Department Chief Rich Salva called the scene especially dangerous because a large propane tank sat just five or six feet beyond the burning car.
Rescuers Walked Away Unharmed From a Scene That Should Have Been Electrified
A fire chief and an electrical engineer later concluded that the car's exterior and the surrounding ground should have been electrified given the downed lines, the Guardian reported. Yet Denton, Pickett Sr. and Pickett Jr. all escaped without electrocution. Denton emerged from the crash with only abrasions and went on to recover; neither Pickett suffered any injury during the rescue.
The father and son acted amid the danger. Footage of the rescue, captured amid the chaos, circulated widely on social media and drew coverage from other outlets.
Carnegie Medal Honors Come With a Financial Grant
The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission awarded Pickett Sr. the medal for civilian heroism, an honor the organization describes as the highest recognition of its kind in the United States and Canada. Since the Pittsburgh-based fund's founding in 1904, the Carnegie Medal has gone to 10,597 individuals, according to carnegiehero.org; more than $47 million in grants and other assistance has been distributed to recipients over that span. The medal Pickett received includes a financial grant.
Pickett Jr., a 20-year-old Enloe High School graduate now playing safety for the Army football team at West Point, received his own honor in March: the U.S. Army's Soldier's Medal, its highest recognition for noncombat heroism, as reported by the Guardian. Back home, Raleigh Mayor Janet Cowell declared Dec. 10 as Larry Pickett Day, with Councilmember Corey Branch presenting the proclamation, according to WRAL.
From Viral Rescue to Fundraising for Volunteer Firefighters
Pickett Sr. started the Larry Pickett Foundation and operates a multimedia business.
The foundation launched a fundraiser for the Fort Montgomery Fire Department, a volunteer department that responded to Denton's crash. The campaign seeks funds for AEDs, waterproof medical bags and rescue suits. The foundation is separately raising $26,977.27 for a volunteer fire department in Elk Township, Michigan.
Comparable civilian-bravery recognitions exist elsewhere — the Madeline Amy Sweeney Award for Civilian Bravery has honored a rescue during severe weather involving downed trees and wires.
