Penn State fans making replica Joe Paterno statues
Two Penn State fans are in the process of making two Joe Paterno statues based on the design of the original statue that once sat outside Beaver Stadium, according to Philly.com.
Yesid Gomez and Wilfer Buitrago say they are about five or six months away from completing the statues, which will be about seven-feet tall and weigh 1,000 pounds. Unlike the original statue, which was designed by artist Angelo Di Maria, Paterno will feature a raised clinched fist, rather than a “number one” finger.
The statues will cost $50,000 each and are being self-funded. The new designs are not being commissioned by the school or the Paterno family.
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Gomez and Buitrago plan to donate one of the statues to the Paterno family and have the other travel to Penn State games and museums.
The original statue was removed in the fallout of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal that tarnished Paterno’s Hall of Fame career. Some of Paterno’s legacy has since been restored, as the NCAA gave back 111 wins that had been previously vacated.
