When it hit me hardest

I’ve been busy in my office, when it suddenly occurs that Joe is no longer with us, and the tears flow. It’s like losing my Dad all over again.

My thanks, too, to all of you who have let me lean on you; I appreciate being able to share my love and thoughts of Joe, Sue, and the entire Paterno family.

and one thing that makes me cry more, is knowing that my future son/daughter will never know Joe, only how great of a life he lived.

The age of 11….I tend to tear up immediately anytime isee 60 or 70s style home movie footage of a family. It makes me think of when I was a kid and it makes me think of all that’s happened since. When the montages showed Joe walking with his kids in the home movies….that gets me every time.

The thing I’m most surprised about is the fact that even though Joe is gone, I don’t feel like he is gone. I still feel like he is here even though I know he isn’t. That has to be a sign of one being truly immortal.

I have 3 kids (14, 13 and 11) and we’ve been wearing PSU gear all week in honor. Great to hear you doing it in Ohio, but so sorry you are stuck there.

I’ve certainly shed my share of tears this week with them — and again reading your story. Thanks for sharing.

somebody please contact the Paterno family to ask if we can use Joe’s image with the saying, “We Are, Because You Were.”

I’ll buy 100 of those T-shirts and all.

On Tuesday night we made the trip to the statue as a family. I had gone up earlier in the day to leave flowers and a note from our tailgate family and to pay my respects without breaking down in front of my son. When we got to the statue, it was sureal. From the media camped out across the street, to the people all around the status, to the gifts and mementos that were left. My son was speechless. After quite words and thoughtful viewing of all of the cards, shirts, hats, signs, letters, and flowers, my son wanted to put his flowers and candle as close to Joe as he could get. We found a spot in the back of the statue and placed the flowers in between Joe’s feet. We lit the candle and placed it next to the other candles behind Joe’s feet.

We walked away and joined friends that had met us there. My husband and I were talking to our friends and we started to hear crying. It was our son. We hugged him and told him that everything was going to be ok and that Joe was in a better place and not in pain anymore. All he could tell us is that he wanted to say good-bye to Joe. He wanted to touch the statue and say good-bye. My husband took our son by his hand and went to the spot where we placed the flowers and the candle. Our son couldn’t reach the statue from where he was standing, so my husband picked him up and our son reached out, and touch Joe’s coat tails.

That was the moment that I knew that this was for real. That moment that my son understood that Joe was gone.

I had to tell him no, he didn’t lose his ear again, he lost his heart.

my 11 yrs old daughter is old enough to appreciate this nightmare we’ve all experienced. Every morning as she she’s heading out for the bus I tell her, “I love you, have fun and success with honor today.” I’ve explained the meanings of several of JoePa’s quotes. Her laptop has her screen saver of JoePa running the boys out of the tunnel…made me cry.

Since we reside in Georgia, she’s CLEARLY aware only A’s is acceptable for PSU. I’ll tell her, "A’s is what Penn State expects; if you want “B’s”, you’ll be heading to tOSU…gets a chuckle out of her every time (she says, "I know Daddy).