Paterno Buoyed by Birthday Cards, Grateful for Neighbors, Daughter Tells 6News

The thousands of birthday cards sent by Joe Paterno’s fans and supporters have buoyed his spirits, his daughter Mary Kay Paterno Hort told 6News on Wednesday.

“He’s been reading a lot of them, which has been really great,” Hort said in an interview with reporter Bill Wadell. “We’re going to try to get most of them opened this weekend while my nieces and nephews are here.”

Paterno, fired from his Penn State football-coaching job Nov. 9 and now fighting lung cancer, turned 85 on Wednesday. About two dozen fans gathered late Wednesday outside the Paterno family home in College Heights to wish him a happy birthday and sing a Christmas carol, The Associated Press reported.

In the 6News interview, also outside the family home, Hort said her father’s cancer treatments are going well. She said he will be using a walker as he recovers from a recently re-fractured hip.

But Paterno is not dwelling on his troubles, Hort told the TV station.

“You’ve got to deal with life gives you,” she said, echoing what she called one of his mantras.

Hort said her father is grateful for all the cards and flowers.

He also is grateful for his neighbors in College Heights, she said. They are “very patient” and “have really put up with a lot of inconveniences” in recent weeks, as news media and others have descended often on the quiet State College borough neighborhood.

“This has been such an emotional time for a lot of people,” Hort said. “I think people want to do what makes them happy and what makes them continue to be part of this; it’s good. I would never say not to send a card.”

The complete 6News report is available here.

Related coverage

• StateCollege.com’s Penn State football page

• StateCollege.com’s earlier and ongoing coverage of the Penn State-charges situation