Have you ever been able to feel the emotion of an entire crowd? I have. Nothing can compare to the feelings of raw pain I have experienced with my peers these past few days. I don’t think anyone who doesn’t live here can truly understand this loss. It started Sunday evening at the candle light vigil for Joe Paterno. We stood in the snow outside Old Main. We listened to those who love him speak about the great things he did for our university. Then all was silent and the Blue Band began to play “Amazing Grace”. It was a moment I will never forget. I’ve included a few powerful photographs. I happened to be standing in a media hot spot (completely not intentional) and I ended up in a few newspapers. I’m sharing them with you because I feel that they can more accurately portray how we felt. I’m not embarrassed to post a photo of myself crying, because a picture is worth one thousand words. And no matter how many words you gave me I could not describe the emotion seen in these images.
Today I again experienced a period of time where I knew everyone around me was feeling the same thing. Joe’s funeral procession drove through campus at 4 pm this afternoon. My instructor for my EMT class let us stand outside and watch. Everyone was talking and laughing while we waited, but as soon as the motorcade began to pass by it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. It was almost as if we were in a state of shock. When his hearse passed we knew it was really. We would never see or hear from Joe Paterno again. Some of you may think that writing about him twice is overkill, but I don’t agree with you. He was one the most important person to ever touch the university I call home. He deserves more then this. I only wish I could do him justice.
Make Life Orange 