Today I attended the funeral of one of my longest and dearest friends. Like me, he was a devoted Penn Stater and season ticket owner for many decades. I can't count the number of tailgates we shared together, both at Beaver Stadium and on many road games. A great husband, father, friend and man.
On November 9, 2011 he - like so many of us - had his heart broken. But the following April he had his world shattered after the doctors delivered a diagnosis of lung cancer, the same disease which claimed Joe Paterno just months earlier.
He fought bravely and hard over the following four years. The treatments certainly took their toll and were almost as devastating as the disease itself, but he remained optimistic throughout and rarely complained about the side effects or how his health now prevented him from missing an occasional game or a social event if he was too fatigued to attend.
His last PSU game was the Illinois game last year. I'm grateful he was treated to a good performance by our Lions resulting in a win and I remember how upbeat he was at the post-game tailgate. He told me at that time he'd "hope to still be around when Joe's and Penn State's names were finally cleared."
Last week from his hospital bed in Hershey, realizing that the end was near, he motioned for me to lean closer and said though his labored breathing "I guess I just ran out of time." I couldn't help from crying most of the drive home. He passed away that evening.
My contempt for the BoT, Corbett, the NCAA and everyone who contributed to this fiasco we continue to find ourselves facing all these years later cannot be overstated. How many more people had this on their minds as they lay in the death beds? I know many say otherwise but nothing will convince me that Joe's spirit wasn't broken by what happened and it hastened his death. I believe my friend befell that same fate.
Sorry about the length of this post. Guess I just needed to vent.
On November 9, 2011 he - like so many of us - had his heart broken. But the following April he had his world shattered after the doctors delivered a diagnosis of lung cancer, the same disease which claimed Joe Paterno just months earlier.
He fought bravely and hard over the following four years. The treatments certainly took their toll and were almost as devastating as the disease itself, but he remained optimistic throughout and rarely complained about the side effects or how his health now prevented him from missing an occasional game or a social event if he was too fatigued to attend.
His last PSU game was the Illinois game last year. I'm grateful he was treated to a good performance by our Lions resulting in a win and I remember how upbeat he was at the post-game tailgate. He told me at that time he'd "hope to still be around when Joe's and Penn State's names were finally cleared."
Last week from his hospital bed in Hershey, realizing that the end was near, he motioned for me to lean closer and said though his labored breathing "I guess I just ran out of time." I couldn't help from crying most of the drive home. He passed away that evening.
My contempt for the BoT, Corbett, the NCAA and everyone who contributed to this fiasco we continue to find ourselves facing all these years later cannot be overstated. How many more people had this on their minds as they lay in the death beds? I know many say otherwise but nothing will convince me that Joe's spirit wasn't broken by what happened and it hastened his death. I believe my friend befell that same fate.
Sorry about the length of this post. Guess I just needed to vent.
