My Joe Paterno Story
In the Fall of 1997, I was walking down Curtain Road outside Kern Building, on campus, when I saw Joe Paterno walking toward me. We were the only ones on the sidewalk. All I wanted to talk to him about was football. We were pre-season #1 that year. I walk up to Joe with a huge smile on my face, and ask him what he thinks of his team, how practice was going, how he thought we were going to do, etc. He stops me. Asks me my name, then asks me what classes I was in. I was taken aback, but I told him. He asked me about my homework and what tests I had coming up. I told him that I had a Physics test later that week. He told me to study hard and do well on that test and then I could enjoy football that weekend. I was stunned. He shook my hand again, wished me luck, and kept walking toward Rec Hall.
I saw him about 6 weeks later, on the same stretch of road. Again, I walk up with a huge smile, asking all the same questions. He stops me, shakes my hand, and asks me, “how’d you do on that Physics test?”
Such an amazing man. To me, he represents the right way to do things, the right way to live your life. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and the Penn State family. I know his name will be cleared.
Thank you for sharing this.