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Social Media Effort Underway For Parkland Hero To Be Given Prestigious Honor

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PARKLAND (CBSMiami) – Parkland victim Peter Wang planned to join the military.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student was a member of the Junior ROTC and hoped to enroll at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point but on February 14th, Peter did not make it out of the freshman building alive.

He is believed to have held a door open on the 3rd floor of the building so that others could escape the gunfire. Peter, though, was shot and killed.

Student activist Cameron Kasky took up the cause Thursday of trying to have Peter awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

"For the Presidential Medal of Freedom, there's no better recipient," Kasky said. "Peter lost his life defending others, which is what he wanted to do with his life. He wanted to go into the military and that is a young man who deserves this honor."

MSD student Kyle Kashuv tweeted about the honor for Peter on Thursday and established a petition for people to sign.

Peter Wang was honored in death with signs reading "a hero forever remembered."

After he died, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point gave him an honorary admission for his bravery and selflessness, saying he exhibited commitment to the values of duty, honor and country.

Peter's cousins say he was an inspiration for them as well.

"He was selfless so he was always putting everyone else before him," said Aaron Chen.

"Every since we were children Peter's always sharing with other people or asking other people whether they were ok, or they were hungry or were they thirsty?" said Shida Bian.

They said Peter should be an example for others.

"Peter's selfless personality is what everyone wants to strive for and what everyone in a perfect world should be," said Bian.

Through an interpreter, Peter's parents said receiving an award like this would be huge honor for their heroic son and for them.

Kasky believes Peter, and other Parkland heroes, will live in through the lives led by those they saved.

He hopes this prestigious award is someday presented to Peter's family.

"I would imagine everybody in our town, if he receives this medal, no matter when it is, would rejoice," Kasky said.

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