I recently read a feature article in Newsweek that casts Mike McQueary as the villain in the aftermath of the sordid Jerry Sandusky situation.

What a sad commentary on the students and residents of State College.

McQueary is not a villain; he is a hero. He is the only person in the entire athletic department who had the guts and wherewithal to do something about the shocking events he allegedly witnessed.

His testimony is not an attack on the legacy of Joe Paterno. Paterno’s legacy will be determined by what the investigations reveal and what he did or did not do relative to what he knew.

Don’t place blame on a 26-year-old graduate assistant who reported horrible actions by a fellow coach he most likely held in very high esteem.

If that is a prevailing attitude in Happy Valley, I feel sorry for you. We should be concentrating on the legacy of the victims, not all the officials who did nothing until forced, and who may be guilty of a massive cover-up.

Fred J. Meckley Herndon

The writer is a Penn State alumnus.