Joe Paterno Dead at 85

ABC NEWS — Joe Paterno Jr., whose glittering career as Penn State’s football coach was tainted by a child sex-abuse scandal, died today. He was 85. “It is with great sadness that we announce that Joe Paterno passed away earlier today. His loss leaves a void in our lives that will never be filled,” Paterno’s family said in a statement. Paterno coached the Nittany Lions for 46 years and in 2011 became the winningest coach in Division 1 football. But before the season was over, he was abruptly dismissed as the sex scandal involving former assistant Jerry Sandusky suggested that top school officials had ignored signs of Sandusky’s alleged predatory behavior. Shortly after his dismissal, Paterno was diagnosed with lung cancer and broke his hip. Chemotherapy and radiation treatments weakened him, robbing him of his hair and his once-booming voice. In a recent interview with the Washington Post, he appeared frail, wearing a wig and speaking in a whisper. He canceled public appearances after the interview because of his failing health, according to family members. For Paterno’s legion of fans, who referred to the coach affectionately as “JoePa,” the turbulent final months of Paterno’s life were a tragic end to an outstanding coaching career that was built around his motto of “success with honor.” Saturday night, Paterno’s wife, Suzanne Paterno, summoned close friends and longtime staff members Saturday afternoon to the State College hospital where Paterno has been undergoing treatments since last weekend, a source told the Citizen’s Voice newspaper of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Paterno wanted to see them and say a final goodbye, the coach’s wife told one of the staff members, the source said. Hundreds of students gathered around the bronze statue of Paterno on the Penn State campus Saturday night, praying for Paterno’s recovery, lighting candles and placing blue and white baseball hats at the foot of the statue.