Scholarship formed for former soldier

A Wallace wrestler has organized an event in honor of his friend, a fallen soldier.

Emmanuel Pickett, a former Wallace resident, gave his life fighting for his country. Now one friend, along with some professional wrestlers, will spend Saturday night fighting to keep Pickett’s memory alive. Jerry Davis remembers Emmanuel Pickett from their high school days in Wallace. They separated for a while, then service for their country brought them back together.

“Emmanuel joined the National Guard whenever he graduated high school. I went on active duty. But whenever I came home I ended up going into the National Guard and I joined the same unit that he was in,” Davis said.

Their time in Iraq renewed their friendship. “While were over there we were from the same home town so we were buddies, kind of like brothers over there,” Davis remembers.

The bunker that he was in on April 6th took a direct hit with incoming mortar fire and he was killed that day.

The Wallace community immediately began building a monument in memory of Pickett, and when Davis and his unit returned home they decided they wanted to find their own way to honor their fallen soldier.

Davis said, “Emmanuel really worked with kids a lot here at home. And when he was killed in country, of few of us got together one night and were talking about what we could do to honor him and we decided that we would continue what he did with the children and help somebody go to school and get an education.”

They created a scholarship fund in his name at James Sprunt Community College. It will be given to one high school senior who wants to study criminal justice. Davis, now a professional wrestler, continues to fight, no longer with Pickett, but for him. “I don’t think he realized what kind of an impression he left with our unit, with his friends.”

Davis hopes the Pickett Scholarship will help continue Emmanuel’s work.

All the proceeds from Saturday’s wrestling event at Kenan Auditorium will go to the scholarship fund. The bell rings at 7:30.

If you would like to attend you can call 910-271-6162.