In view of recent child-sex allegations against former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky, the title of his 2001 autobiography "Touched: The Jerry Sandusky Story" is now an eerie double entendre for those following the scandal.
Some excerpts from "Touched" are just as disturbing as the title.
In his book, Sandusky talks a lot about his work with at-risk boys in the charity he founded, The Second Mile, and his descriptions are hard to read for anyone who has seen the grand jury report accusing him of 40 counts of child sexual abuse.
"My father probably spoke the most truthful words about me that had ever been spoke," Sandusky writes, according to The Patriot-News. "'Jer,' he said, 'you could mess up a free lunch.' ...I thrived on testing the limits of others and I enjoyed taking chances in danger."
According to the Patriot-News, Sandusky repeatedly writes about hugging boys and being very "close" to the boys in the program.
"They are kids that have touched my life and have been a part of me for a long, long time," Sandusky writes.
The discovery of this long-existing autobiography and its new possible meaning still pales in comparison to Sandusky’s more recent words in Monday’s exclusive interview with NBC's Bob Costas, in which he said that he’s "horsed around with kids. I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their leg. Without intent of sexual contact."
When asked if he is sexually attracted to underage boys Monday, Sandusky did not state a simple "no." Instead he repeated the question back to Costas and then said:
"Sexually attracted, you know, I enjoy young people. I love to be around them. But no I'm not sexually attracted to young boys.”
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Sandusky is the target of a grand jury investigation, in which he's accused of sexually abusing at least nine boys who attended The Second Mile. Some of the alleged sex assaults happened on Penn State’s campus and has resulted in the firing of head coach Joe Paterno and the university’s president Graham Spanier.
Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and senior vice president Gary Schultz, who were also allegedly notified of allegations against Sandusky, were charged with failing to tell police about Sandusky. Both stepped down from their positions and surrendered to police.
Almost fittingly, the autobiography of the accused pedophile, that shamed the football giant that is Penn State, ends with these words, according to the Patriot-News:
"I ended my career the way I wanted it to end. ... This is how I have been touched by so many people in my lifetime, and how I hope I can add a little touch to others' lives as well."
