Jerry Sandusky - Early Life and Family

Early Life and Family

Sandusky was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, the only son of Evelyn Mae (née Lee), an Irish Catholic homemaker who came from a small Pennsylvania coal-mining town, and Arthur Sandusky, whose parents, Edward and Josephine Sendecki, had immigrated from Poland to East Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. His father Arthur served in the field of youth service programs for over 30 years, mostly as director of the Brownson House in Washington, Pennsylvania, a community recreation center for children. There, he founded the Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling program and created junior basketball, volleyball, boxing and football programs for the Brownson House. He improved the facilities there by adding a new playground, gym, outdoor basketball court, and a renovated football field. He managed the 1955 Washington baseball team that won the Pony League World Series championship, the only team from Washington to win that championship. Arthur was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1989.

At home, Jerry Sandusky adopted his own personal law called "Jer's Law" that he stuck to for many years. The rules adopted were that Sandusky could be mischievous but not to the point where someone could be intentionally hurt, he also vowed to not be disrespectful to his teachers and swear to himself that he would tell the truth if he was caught breaking any rules.

Sandusky attended Washington High School, where he was a good student and standout athlete, playing baseball, basketball, and football. He was a leader on his junior high basketball team that went undefeated through the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League. His classmates have described him as a studious "loner" who "never dated in high school" but was a popular and handsome athlete. Sandusky later considered studying in the Eighth Grade as the most important time in his life where he knew how important it was to grow up.

Sandusky married Dorothy "Dottie" (née Gross) in 1966, and together they have six adopted children. Sandusky and his wife have also served as foster parents. One of Sandusky's sons, Jon Sandusky, is Director of Player Personnel for the Cleveland Browns. Another son, E. J. Sandusky, is an assistant football coach at West Chester University. Sandusky described his family as "old fashioned" with Dottie being the leader.

Matt Sandusky, adopted son and former foster child of Sandusky's, released a statement through his attorneys saying that Sandusky had sexually molested him as a child. Matt Sandusky's statement was released on the day the jury began deliberations in the sex abuse trial against Sandusky.