Legendary football coach Joe Paterno has died at the age of 85.
His family released a statement, saying, “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.”
Paterno was fired from Penn State in November after coaching for 46 years following an investigation into sexual abuse allegations against his former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky.
Ten days after being fired, Paterno’s son confirmed that his father was undergoing treatment for lung cancer, and that doctors were optimistic he would make a full recovery.
Paterno was the winningest coach in Division I football history.