The parents of a West Point cadet fatally injured in a skiing accident have received a judge's permission to retrieve his sperm for possible artificial insemination.

U.S. Military Academy Cadet Peter Zhu was declared brain dead Wednesday, four days after a skiing accident at West Point.

His parents on Friday asked a state court judge for permission to retrieve his sperm before the 21-year-old's organs were removed for donation that day.

The parents said in a court filing their son planned to have children, and that they were 'desperate to have a small piece of Peter that might live on.'

In this photo provided by the United States Military Academycadet Peter L. Zhu is shown. His parents have received a judge's permission to retrieve his sperm for possible artificial insemination

The judge on Friday granted permission to retrieve the sperm, ordering it stored pending a court hearing March 21.

Zhu was from Concord, California. He planned to attend medical school.

The 21-year-old Zhu was found unresponsive by a fellow skier and was later airlifted to Westchester County Medical Center.

Victor Constant Ski Area at West Point where 21-year-old Zhu was found unresponsive

His death is under investigation by authorities.

West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. Darryl A. Williams says the pain of Zhu's death 'will be felt for a long time.'

Zhu was president of the Cadet Medical Society and was planning to attend medical school at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences.

Tributes have rolled in for the much liked cadet.

A video tribute appeared on YouTube titled 'In memory of Peter Zhu '19'.

The video, published by Kade Carrol, was accompanied by a message that called Mr Zhu an 'outstanding cadet'.

The tribute continued: 'Pete was in every aspect the model friend, student, leader, and scholar, a person of the highest moral integrity and personal character.'