CORAL SPRINGS, FL (WSVN/CNN) – As friends and family of 15-year-old hero Peter Wang mourned at his funeral Tuesday, the U.S. military honored the teen by presenting his parents with heroism medals from the U.S. Army and a letter of acceptance from West Point.
Wang, a freshman at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, dreamed of going to West Point after graduation.
The military academy posthumously admitted the 15-year-old, in part due to his heroic actions during last Wednesday’s school shooting.
Wearing his junior ROTC uniform, Wang selflessly held the door open for others to escape as gunfire rang through the halls. Sadly, he was shot and killed.
“Good kid, and he died a hero. He kept the door open, so his friends could be safe,” family friend Cam Hoang said.
Wang would have been a member of West Point's class of 2025.
One of USMA's priorities is to develop leaders of character who are committed to the values of Duty, Honor & Country. Peter Wang's actions on February 14 are an example of those principles & the academy honors his dream of being a West Point cadet with a 2025 letter of acceptance pic.twitter.com/fycvJBhte8
— US Military Academy (@WestPoint_USMA) February 20, 2018
At Wang’s funeral, family and friends said their final goodbyes with flowers in hand, as Buddhist monks chanted.
The 15-year-old’s coffin was draped with an American flag, and the U.S. Army presented his parents with medals for their son’s heroism.
One medal will stay with the uniform while the other will remain with Wang’s parents.
Two other junior ROTC members and victims of the attack – 14-year-olds Martin Duque Anguiano and Alaina Petty – will also receive special medals honoring them.
Wang’s classmates started a petition on the White House website two days after the shooting for the 15-year-old to be buried with full military honors. It has received more than 84,000 signatures of a 100,000-signature goal.
Copyright 2018 WSVN, Family photos via CNN. All rights reserved.
