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"&lt;img alt=\"Joe Paterno\" src=\"http://ll-media.tmz.com/2012/01/21/0121-joe-paterno-getty3-bn-1.jpg\" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Joe Paterno&lt;/strong&gt;, the legendary former coach at Penn State University, has suffered health complications&amp;#160;and is in serious condition ... this according to a rep for the Paterno family.&amp;#160;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The spokesperson released a statement, saying in part, \"Over the last few days Joe Paterno has experienced further health complications. His doctors have now characterized his status as serious.\"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;His son Jay tweeted, \"I appreciate the support &amp;amp; prayers. Joe is continuing to fight.\"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Another son, Scott, responded to a report that JoePa had passed, tweeting, \"Dad is alive but in serious condition. We continue to ask for your prayers and privacy during this time.\"&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Onward State, a student-run newspaper on campus, &lt;a href=\"http://onwardstate.com/?p=78754\" target=\"_blank\"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;reported&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Saturday he had been taken off his respirator. The &lt;a href=\"http://citizensvoice.com/news/source-paterno-in-grave-condition-1.1260837\" target=\"_blank\"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Citizens Voice&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;, a newspaper in nearby Wilkes-Barre, PA, reported Paterno's wife Sue&amp;#160;summoned close friends and longtime staff members to State College hospital.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Paterno was the coach at Penn State for 46 years, until he was&amp;#160;&lt;a href=\"http://www.tmz.com/2011/11/09/joe-paterno-penn-state-football-coach-university-president-fired-graham-spanier/\"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;famously fired&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&amp;#160;by the school last November following the sexual abuse allegations against his former assistant coach,&amp;#160;&lt;strong&gt;Jerry Sandusky&lt;/strong&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img alt=\"update_bar\" src=\"http://ll-media.tmz.com/2011/08/09/update-bar.jpg\" /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href=\"http://www.tmz.com/2012/01/22/joe-paterno-dead/\"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Paterno died&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; Sunday morning, the family announced. He was 85.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;!-- relatedlinks --&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.tmz.com/2012/01/21/joe-paterno-near-death/?adid=sidebarwidget_tv_clips>