Sue Paterno Leaves Lasting Mark with Special Olympics

When Sue Paterno talks about her 30 years of serving on the board of the Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA), one can tell by the stories she shares and the twinkle in her eyes that it has been a labor of love since her first involvement.

“I saw what the needs were, but then I fell in love with it, and it gave back to you,” Paterno said.

“I love just being with the athletes and seeing the determination that they have. … I saw how they fought for everything.”

Over the years, the long-time first lady of Penn State football has played a huge role in the organization that provides year-round sports training and competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

She serves as a key part of the Summer Games Committee, which welcomes athletes from across the state to University Park to compete, and established the Paterno Family Beaver Stadium Run, which has become one of SOPA’s largest annual fundraising events.

Now, to honor her three-decade commitment, the organization has set up the Sue Paterno Endowment Fund, which will benefit the organization in perpetuity, meaning her tremendous impact will last a long, long time.

Special Olympics Pennsylvania will be honoring Paterno and publicly announcing the endowment at a special reception to open this year’s Blue-White Weekend and the 13th Annual Beaver Stadium Run, which is back in person this year on April 24.

There is a virtual option for those who cannot attend the event.

Whether she is giving remarks at the Summer Games Opening Ceremony, placing a medal around an athlete’s neck or raising millions of dollars for the cause, Paterno’s heart is all in with the Special Olympics.

“Sue is incredible,” Special Olympics Pennsylvania CEO Matt Aaron said.

“The words that spring to mind are commitment, passion, but those don’t really do her service to the board justice. She is all those things … but I think the word that is probably more accurate in talking about Sue and her engagement with Special Olympics is the word love. When Sue is talking about our athletes, when Sue is with our athletes, when Sue is involved with anything tied to Special Olympics, you just see her genuine love for them shine through.”

Paterno remembers a time, early on in her involvement with the organization, when three athletes were racing around the track.

“One fell and someone went to help him, but he said ‘no,’ and he got up and he won. I put the medal on him and he raised his one crutch and I thought, ‘Could I be that strong and that good?’” Paterno said.

The SOPA athletes’ strength always amazes her and she continues to enjoy being in their company.

“They are so much fun,” she said.

Through the years her husband, Joe, along with her children and grandchildren, have all supported her efforts and gotten involved.

“Joe loved it. He loved them (the athletes),” Paterno said.

She recalls going to a Penn State football team meeting during her first years being involved with the Summer Games Committee. She asked the players to be involved with the event and they signed autographs and sat in the stands with the athletes.

“The next year I didn’t have to go in and explain anything,” she said.

“I just posted the sign-up sheets and they knew. I never had to explain it again because they knew. Then they started going and putting medals on the athletes … and they always said how much they enjoyed it and felt blessed to be a part of it.”

For the athletes, having someone like Sue Paterno there to support them is a big deal, Aaron said.

“It means the world, and it means the world because they know it is genuine. A lot of people come out and speak at opening ceremonies and say nice things, but when Sue says something, or when Sue does something, they know it is genuine. And it goes back to what I said before. They know she truly loves them and they see that, and they feel that and they reflect that back,” Aaron said.

A few years back, during the closing ceremonies, Sue Paterno was addressing a group of competitors.

“As she was congratulating them for winning medals, one of the athletes shouted out, ‘Sue we’ve won medals, but you’ve won our hearts,” Aaron said.

“I think that captures perfectly how they feel about her.”

This June 2 to 4, that love will be on display again as the Summer Games again returns to campus and those who would like to be a part of it can find volunteer and endowment fund information at www.specialolympicspa.org.