Report: Joe Paterno Has Lung Cancer
Days after losing the job he held for nearly a half century, former Penn State coach Joe Paterno was diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer.
Scott Paterno, the Hall of Fame coach’s son, said in a statement provided Friday to The Associated Press that his father’s doctors are optimistic the 84-year-old Paterno will make a full recovery.
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“Last weekend, my father was diagnosed with a treatable form of lung cancer during a follow-up visit for a bronchial illness,” Scott Paterno said in the brief statement. The doctor’s visit came the same weekend the school played its first game since the 1960s without Paterno leading the Nittany Lions — Penn State lost, 17-14 to Nebraska.
“As everyone can appreciate, this is a deeply personal matter for my parents, and we simply ask that his privacy be respected as he proceeds with treatment,” Scott Paterno said.
I’ve never been a fan of Penn State or Paterno, and I’ve been particularly critical of his handling of the Jerry Sandusky mess, but I certainly never wished anything like this on him. I sincerely hope he makes a full recovery, but at his age, you have to wonder. The entire situation at Penn State was already incredibly depressing, and this latest twist brings on conflicting emotions mixed with more sadness for me and, I imagine, PSU fans as well.