This slimmy, smelly Penna State saga and the report released this past week, is really sticking in my mind, without me even being aware of it.
Tonight, we drove through the Arizona State University campus and passed behind the football stadium. Just seeing the word Stadium on the sign gave me a chill. And then I realized why.
In 1980 Penn State played Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, which at that time was played at Sun Devil Stadium on the ASU campus. At the time, I was engaged to a coach (not football) for ASU. During the week before the game, while he was on campus on day, my fiance stopped by the stadium where the Penn State team was gathering for photos. He knew that I had gone to high school with Jerry Sandusky and graduated in the same class with him. He sought Jerry out and had a short conversation with him about me. Jerry took a program from my boyfriend and wrote a short note saying hi and hoping I was going to see the bowl game.
My boyfriend gave me the note from Jerry. I thought that was pretty nice that he even remembered me from our 1962 h.s. graduation. Later in the week as the game approached, my fiance and I had a discussion about the game. Yes, we were going to the game. And, we were taking my son along who would be 14 that coming year.
Knowing how exciting the bowl game was going to be with two top teams, my boyfriend suggested we get a hold of Jerry at the hotel in Scottsdale where Penn State players and staff were staying and see if Jerry could possibly get my son a seat down on the field on the sidelines near the Penn State bench. I thought it was a great idea. I knew it would absolutely thrill my son. But wanted to keep that idea a surprise for him until game day.
However we both got busy and kind of put the idea a side and never did try to reach Jerry in the time before the game.
Until tonight, when I glanced at the stadium, I had completely forgotten about that idea we had way back then. So tonight, 32 years later, I have an absolutely sickening feeling recalling what might have been.
There's no proof, so far, that in 1980 Jerry was abusing young preteen boys. But I have to say that it had to have started sometime. Maybe we will never know when. But I am writing this now, as you suspect, with tears in my eyes.
This is all so ugly.
just my O
