PARKLAND, Fla. – The three JROTC cadets who lost their lives in last week's Parkland school shootings will receive the Medal of Heroism from the U.S. Army.
Cadet Peter Wang, Cadet Alaina Petty and Cadet Martin Duque were all student members of the JROTC at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
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Wang has been credited with opening a classroom door to allow students escaping gunfire to seek shelter inside. A petition was created to encourage the armed forces to honor Wang with a military funeral.
Wang will be buried Tuesday in his JROTC uniform along with the medal.
While Petty received her heroism medal during her funeral Monday, Duque will be awarded his medal at his Saturday service.
The Medal of Heroism is a military decoration awarded by the Department of the Army to a JRTOC Cadet who performs an act of heroism.
"The achievement must be an accomplishment so exceptional and outstanding that it clearly sets the individual apart from fellow students or from other persons in similar circumstances," the Army said. "The performance must have involved the acceptance of danger and extraordinary responsibilities, exemplifying praiseworthy fortitude and courage."
The U.S. Military Academy at West Point also announced Tuesday that Wang, who dreamed of attending the school, was posthumously offered admission for his heroic actions.
A news release announcing the admission said it was "an appropriate way" for the U.S. Military Academy to honor Wang.
"West Point has given posthumous offers of admissions in very rare instances for those candidates or potential candidate's whose actions exemplified the tenets of duty, honor and country," the news release said.
