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Halos Return for Paterno and Others in Happy Valley Mural

STATE COLLEGE — Halos, once removed from images of Joe Paterno and others in a mural near Penn State University, have been repainted. The mural on Heister...

STATE COLLEGE -- Halos, once removed from images of Joe Paterno and others in a mural near Penn State University, have been repainted.

The mural on Heister Street depicts legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, among others.

Paterno died in 2012 and when he did, the artist who created the mural painted a halo over his head.

Later that year, Jerry Sandusky, one of Paterno's former assistant coaches, was convicted of sexually abusing children and a report found that Paterno did not do enough to stop it.

The halo over the late Paterno was removed.

“I didn't want it to leave. I mean, he was such a big part of this city, the football, everything. He needed it. I didn't care for the painting out. I didn't care for the way it went down,” said Joseph Sager of Shamokin who was in Happy Valley Thursday night.

In a YouTube video, titled "Righting a Personal Wrong," Michael Pilato, who painted the mural, shows himself repainting the halos with help from others.

Penn State All-American football player Bruce Clark helped with the halo over Paterno's head.

It's a move that has Penn State fans cheering.

“At the time, the sentiments were what they were, and people really didn't know the full story and now that more is coming out, I think it's good that it's happening,” said Penn State fan Jim Price of Altoona.

"We're glad. Anything to recognize him again. To me, I don't think he deserved everything that happened. I think it means a lot and I'm sure it would mean a lot to the family,” said Mary Ellen Sager of Shamokin.

Others say having the halos back doesn’t mean forgetting the controversy.

“I think that Jerry Sandusky got what he rightfully deserved and I think that taking the halos off was kind of just a community thing and now we're over it and we've moved on and Penn State is more than the Jerry Sandusky scandal. It is part of our history. I just hope people understand that's not all Penn State is. That's not what we stand for,” said Mikaela Zimmerman, junior at Penn State University.

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