Months after former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was found guilty on 45 counts of child sex abuse, the subject remains an open topic for many people close to the situation.
One person constantly affected by the aftermath of the Sandusky wrongdoings is Sue Paterno, the widow of former Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno.
As reported by ESPN, Sue Paterno said that she and her late husband did not realize Sandusky was abusing boys he met through the Second Mile children's charity. At a recent breakfast held by the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance, a non-profit organization with a mission to prevent child abuse, Sue Paterno touched on the matter.
"In many cases, we unknowingly helped him groom his victims while we thought we were helping a child achieve self-esteem and find a better life," Sue Paterno said. "The last 17 months have been filled with disbelief, horror, the pain of loss, sleepless nights, praying for the victims and for peace of mind for those who unwittingly were too naive to recognize the signs of abuse."
Jay Paterno, a former Penn State assistant and son to Sue and Joe Paterno was also at the breakfast. He offered words on coming forward when witnessing heinous acts such as the ones committed by Sandusky. "In child abuse, we must remove fears associated with coming forward, both the children who suffer the abuse and the people who report it."
Defending the controversial decision to have Sue Paterno speak at the function was the organizations executive director Angela Liddle. "I think they have demonstrated a humbleness and a humility, saying we didn't know and we are learning," Liddle said according to reporters from ABC News in Philadelphia.
Joe Paterno was head coach of the Nittany Lions football program for 46 years before being fired after an FBI investigation found that Paterno and other university administrators knowingly covered up Sandusky's actions in order to protect the school from bad publicity. Paterno passed away from complications with lung cancer last January. He was 85.
Sandusky is serving a 30 to 60-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2012 on 45 of 48 counts of child sex abuse.
The ongoing situation surrounding the terrible acts committed by Jerry Sandusky is tough for everyone to handle, especially someone directly involved like Sue Paterno. No matter what you think about Joe Paterno and his actions or lack thereof, it's hard to blame Mrs. Paterno for wanting to defend her husband. I don't know too many wives that wouldn't want to protect their family honor.
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
