Doctors Say Paterno Is in ‘Serious’ Condition After Complications from Lung Cancer
- Posted on January 22, 2012 at 12:12am by
Christopher Santarelli
- Print »
- Email »

(The Blaze/AP) Joe Paterno‘s doctors say the former Penn State coach’s condition has become “serious” after he experienced complications from lung cancer in recent days.
The winningest major college football coach of all time, Paterno was diagnosed shortly after Penn State’s Board of Trustees ousted him Nov. 9 in the aftermath of the child sex abuse charges against former assistant Jerry Sandusky. Paterno’s been getting treatment since, and his health problems worsened when he broke his pelvis – an injury that first cropped up when he was accidentally hit in preseason practice last year.
“Over the last few days Joe Paterno has experienced further health complications,” family spokesman Dan McGinn said in a brief statement Saturday to The Associated Press. “His doctors have now characterized his status as serious.
“His family will have no comment on the situation and asks that their privacy be respected during this difficult time,” he said.
Paterno’s sons Scott and Jay each took to Twitter Saturday night to refute reports that their father had died.
Wrote Jay Paterno: “I appreciate the support & prayers. Joe is continuing to fight.”
The 85-year-old Paterno has been in the hospital since Jan. 13 for observation for what his family had called minor complications from his cancer treatments. Not long before that, he conducted his only interview since losing his job, with The Washington Post. Paterno was described as frail then and wearing a wig. The second half of the two-day interview was conducted by his bedside.
Roughly 200 students and townspeople gathered Saturday night at a statue of Paterno just outside a gate at Beaver Stadium. Some brought candles, while others held up their smart phones to take photos of the scene. The mood was somber, with no chanting or shouting.
“Drove by students at the Joe statue,” Jay Paterno tweeted. “Just told my Dad about all the love & support–inspiring him.”
ESPN reports on Paterno’s declining health:





















Submitting your tip... please wait!
65Plus
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 2:58pm“Serious”? I’ll say! “Dead” is pretty “serious.” What a shame he couldn’t have lived a bit longer to see the fruits of his…”legacy.”
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 12:50pmI’d say its pretty serious… Seein how he’s DEAD !!!
Report Post »Buckdaddy
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 10:47amThe people on this post that are wishing for Joe to die are a buch of ignorant idiots. Having followed Penn State football all my life, I can say without any doubt that Joe is one of the most honorable man I have ever known. You all sit and pass judgement on him when you never knew the man. Joe Paterno deserves more than the ignorant comments posted on this site. He has been the only one to come out and speak hoenstly about what happened and I believe him when he says he wished he would of handled if better. You all clam you would of reacted differently than he did, but you really don’t know unless you are placed in that situation. Joe has given his entire life and has asked for nothing in return. All you need to do is listen to the men who played for his and they will tell you as well, he was a big influence in their lives. I pray for you Joe and your family as you prepare yourself to for your next life.
Report Post »ATM
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 11:20pmYo people make me sick. Pedophiles are the worst kind of people on the planet and knowingly allowing one to take advantage of innocent children is just as bad. No honorable man would stand by and let this mess happen. Any real man would knock Sanduskys teeth out because this is the one type of incident where violence is well deserved. How would you feel if your child was raped because this a-hole was more concerned about his school legacy than stopping this most heinous crime?
Report Post »Newtstrikezone
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 9:51amI would like to reply to BURNTEYE 86 and DETROIT PAPERBOY on their comments. No, I’m not a lawyer. I do not know how much reading of other stories about this whole disgusting mess that you have done and I want to see those involved to take the fall and fall hard but no one has gone to trial yet, and unless the legal system has drastically changed ‘one is innocent until proven guilty”. I will stand by my earlier post that Paterno is the scapegoat by the Board of Trustees, possibly to cover other individuals hides to protect other guilty people. If I’m wrong about Paterno then I will admit that I was terribly wrong. Sandusky should start doing the right thing and start “singing like a canary” and lay out all the info and start to clear up all the questions surrounding these hideous crimes that have been under investigation. There are members of the Board of Trustees who were still ticked off at Paterno when he was asked years ago to retire or resign when the football program endured some substandard win-loss records inthe early 2000‘s and Paterno refused the Board’s request. I just want to see the truth come out and all who are guilty of whatever crimes that there are get what is coming to them. Hope this clears up where I stand. The comments of others who disagree with me are entitled to them, but please do some investigating as this is a very messed up and complicated legal issue.
Report Post »Buckdaddy
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 10:37amWow! How can all of you sit in judgement and make the awful statements you do on this post. Actually wishing Joe Paterno would die is horrible. You have lowered yourself to the same level of those you critize on the Blaze. Joe Paterno is one of the most honorable people I have ever known. This man has always put the well being of others before his own. His record at the University will bare these FACTS. He has been the only one to come out and speak honestly about the events and how he wished he would have handled if differently. For you to all pass judgement on him and say how you would of handled it differently is a bunch of bull! You do not know how you would of acted you only hope you would of handled it differently. I have great respect for Joe and always will. I pray for you Joe.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 1:00pm@newtstikezone
Report Post »I disagree, if someone has seen a child being Sodomized AKA RAPED… like Mqueeney did, they are not innocent until proven guilty…. They may not be convicted but that does not make them innocent…. and to me , this Mqueeny dude should be indicted too.. But he mysteriously got promoted.. And was the youngest assistant coach ever…. Hmmmm, bury your head all u want, they protected the football program not the kids….PERIOD .
Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 9:03amCant wait to see what happens to that sick Bastard Sanduskey….. I predict he puts a 38 in his mouth…..
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 8:46am.
Hey Joe,
Paybacks a bitch ain’t it……………
Report Post »SoCaLCapitalist
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 7:11pmSpank dumass
My mom met joe when he was a 23 yr old gymnastics coach and recruiter for penn state. He later became a football legend. When I was about 18 I was watching college ball and penn state came on. She told me how classy joe was when she was in high school and he was recruiting her boyfriend.
Over the years when Penn state came on she always was amazed how he kept coaching.
If you’ve ever played a sport like football you know coaching and recruiting are demanding full time jobs. Joe was blessed to live in a sort of utopia. He coached and recruited. It wasn’t his fault Sandusky turned out to be a complete waste of human flesh. But nitwits like you want to blame the person that heard third person a rumor that Sandusky did something. Joe reported to the college president who also oversees the POLICE department at penn state. Joe doing that is like you calling the police. Joe made a mistake in trusting his college president and chief of police.
May you one day make the mistake of attacking me in a dark alley. You’ll find karma. Bet on it.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on January 23, 2012 at 6:35am.
Report Post »Good for your Mom. The “FACT” remains Joe knew about Child Rape for 10 yrs and did nothing. And that dark alley, street and broad daylight works for me. No need to hide in the shadows. Just take a Nap & pack a lunch I might be awhile………….
Elephantman
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 7:47amThe only thing more fitting would be him dying from anal cancer.
Report Post »TODTorg
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 7:46amLong drawn out suffering and eventual death for him.He allowed children to be molested and raped for his personal football legacy. I hope he’s only remembered as an accessory to child moestation. A slow painfull agonizing death is what he deserves so his family can suffer as those victims of his defensive co-ordinator will for the rest of their lives.
Report Post »Barack_Must_Go
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 7:26amHe’s dead……thank God …..
Report Post »Sofa_King_tired_of_Obama
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 7:26amHes just dieing for sympathy. (s)
Report Post »I forgive him, unless more comes out, he sounds as much as a victim as a fiend. I doubt if a lot of people would know what to do in a culture that accepts homosexuality on equal terms as heterosexuality, maybe his bosses were liberals that didnt want to offend anyone. Maybe?? of course they are.
Baddoggy
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 7:52amI believe it will come out that he reported all the accusations to those he thought could investigate it the best. They did not do their job in calling the REAL police in. Not the fake phony self serving Campus police…
I have never been a Penn State fan. I have never been a Paterno fan. i do however believe the man when he says that he did what he was supposed to do. Even after, he regretted not doing more to protect children. Is this not repentance to you haters? No, not in your mind, because you have unforgiveness in your heart.
Remember what God says…You do not forgive your brother and I cannot forgive you…
Report Post »AmeriCat
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 3:14amBefore he dies, I wish he would come clean about the truth
regarding his enabling molestation and rape of those young boys.
After all, the obvious was not stopped by Paterno, not for a moment!
Perhaps this is God’s mercy, letting him go….with his secrets untold.
Report Post »WilkowonGBTV
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 8:05amIt sounds like you have decided for him what truth is.
Report Post »macpappy
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 12:54amAww, thats too damn bad, fella.
Report Post »Newtstrikezone
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 12:52amJoePa may not have made the correct move in regards to McQueary’s notification of perceived improper conduct by Sandusky in that locker room incident, but this whole Sandusky debacle goes a lot deeper in regards to what individuals made the decision to ask Sandusky to quietly resign his coaching position to begin with and what deal was made to continue to allow Sandusky to even be on or near the PSU Campus for all the years after the first stories of alleged sexual improprieties that led to his resignation. I believe that there are a lot of big name people with big money that are involved with the University that are hiding behind the Board of Trustees decision to oust JoePa and using Paterno as the scapegoat so they can continue to hide the real ugly side of the whole story and cover their own hides. I suspect there could be some real ugliness that needs to be uncovered and have light shed on it. This is as big of a scandal as anything that comes out of Washington DC which includes the current Obama Adminstration, the Clinton Administration, and back as far as Watergate and the Nixon Administration. It all reeks to High Hell and there seems to be a common theme which is big money and power does make people think they are above the law. This junk has to be exposed NOW. Please get well JoePa and our prayers are with you and your family.
Report Post »macpappy
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 12:59amThe ugly is that your beloved Joepa, was probably knew, and might have even participated in the so called uglyness. A pervert is a pervert, and “Joepa” is a pervert. Hope he goes to prison, and stays there.
Report Post »burnteye86
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 5:13am@NEWTSTRIKEZONE you have to be a lawyer, right? Perceived improper conduct? Perceived? I’ll tell you what is improper and that is a grown man raping a child. You’re trying to tell us that a “cover-up” is uglier than raping a child? You are an idiot.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 9:00am@Newtstrikezone
Report Post »Really ? A child was being sodamized AKA RAPED…. perceived ? You’re an idiot……..
Taquoshi
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 9:32amUnless you were there and have conclusive proof that JoePa was involved in Sandusky’s sexual abuse, MacPappy, then kindly remember that someone is innocent until proven guilty. Otherwise, guilty by association can be used to condemn every student, every faculty member and every staff member of Penn State. Throw a broader net and someone could come up with condemning every resident of the State of Pennsylvania, since it was their tax dollars that were used to run the University, which paid Sandusky’s salary.
This constant assumption of conspiracy is beginning to wear thin. Please remember – “Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.” Benjamin Franklin US author, diplomat, inventor, physicist, politician, & printer (1706 – 1790) Character assassination in the court of public opinion because of guilt through association is not the way to go. The records show that the authorities were contacted. Today, the crowds are condemning JoePa for something he may not have done. The question is whether tomorrow they be calling your name.
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on January 22, 2012 at 12:34amSoo?
Report Post »