Washington – Just before the 2025 class graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point and accepted his commission as officers in the US Army, a group of cadets decided to honor his own own – a boy who dreamed of participating in the West Point, but before he could launch his life as a hero.
Peter Wang, an army junior Rotc cadet, was just 15 years old and killed during 17 2018 Mass Shooting Marzori Stoneman Douglas High School at Parkland, Florida. During the shooting, he kept a door open to allow students to avoid ruthless bullets that day.
Seven years after the shooting in a follow -up story published, CBS News Informed In May, that Wang was posthumously accepted in the West Point Class of 2025.
When CBS News arrived at the American military academy at West Point in the days before graduation this year, whether Wang – which was symbolically accepted in the classroom – would be awarded his diplomat posthumously, to catch the staff and leadership of media relations of the investigation academy. Nevertheless, among some class members, the story of Wang’s sacrifice was vivid, and his determination to see him was not faded.
“When we are asking classmates to nominate the honorary members of our class, I was not expecting Peter Wang’s name to be in the nominee list,” the 2025 class president in West Point told CBS News. “Most cadets nominated former classmates, which were separated from the West Point for the reasons outside their control – mostly medical – or forex cadets that had a significant impact on our class or their countries. However, Peter’s name appeared untreated within our classroom reactions.”
2 Picture provided by Lieutenant Catherine Metz 
Metz had read the article of CBS News and other news stories from the time of shooting. He said that many cadets of class enrolled Wang have been nominated for the Honorary Graduate Award and will soon mail their certificates to their parents.
The award has been honored on those who did not graduate physically with classes, but who give the duties, respect and basic values of the country.
When the sounds of bullets were revived through the hallway of Marjori Stoneman Douglas High School, Wang was in the study hall. After the nervousness spread, he moved towards the exit – not to run away, but to keep the door open, the path became easier for his classmates to escape.
He was shot 13 times. Wang was found dead in the third floor hallway, wearing his army Jrotc uniform.
Florida National Guard honored Wang with a military funeral, and gathered hundreds of people to pay their honors.
Metz said one of his classmates wrote how Wang “sacrificed himself to catch the door to the escape of his fellow classmates,” and said it was only fitting “that we recognize him as an honorary graduate, because he would be with us.”
Some members of the 2025 class were already familiar with Wang’s story and tragic route, which led to his posthumously. But for many people, the details emerged only when their name was declared as an honorary member of the graduate class. From that moment, classmates say, their story became part of the shared identity of the class – a permanent example of selflessness and sacrifice.
“Now, our entire class knows their story and will take a selfless example of sacrifice with us in our service as commission officers in the United States Army.”
2 Picture provided by Lieutenant Catherine Metz 
For his tasks in 2018, Wang was posthumously award The medal of medal by the US Army, the highest award given to the Army JROTC and ROTC cadets, whose performance included “danger and acceptance of extraordinary responsibilities.” Junior ROTC Cadets Alana Petty and Martin Duke, who were also killed during the shooting, also received the medal.
“Peter demonstrated the characteristics and characteristics that we exclude from naval academy or West Point graduates.” Caslene, who was the Superintendent of West Point in 2018, authorized Wang’s entry into the 2025 orbit.
He said, “People like Peter are actually men and women whom you want to lead the youth of America in war situations, the fact that he showed a lot about him at his age, that is why we made him an honorary member of the classroom.”
