Members of his family have announced that the winningest college football coach in NCAA Division I history Joe Paterno has passed away this morning.
Rumors circulated around the Internet last night that the 85-year-old had died apparently before the actual event occurred. Paterno, who was battling lung cancer, had been hospitalized at State College’s Mount Nittany Medical Center due to complications from chemotherapy treatments. He was listed in “serious condition” yesterday.
The family’s statement reads, “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. He died as he lived. He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been. His ambitions were far reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community.”
Penn State students and fans gathered around the Paterno statue on campus in State College, Pennsylvania last night for a candlelight vigil to honor the coach who had been embroiled in the controversy surrounding the child sex abuse cases involving his former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. Paterno was dismissed from his long-held position at the helm of the Penn State Nittany Lions football team on November 9. Nine days later, the news of his diagnosis with cancer was released.