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Come Fan with UsThursday, June 25, 2026

Jerry Sandusky’s Son Was Afraid Of Him, According To Birth Mother

As more and more comes out about former Penn State assistant Jerry Sandusky, we’re starting to get a picture of a man who gave many people concerns over the years. Debra Long, the mother of Matthew Sandusky, one of the coach’s adopted children, tells ABC News in an interview.

“My son was afraid of Jerry. If Jerry said don’t talk, he didn’t talk. I would sit back and watch when Jerry would show up, how excited Matt was,” she said. “And then, as time went on, I would watch the same kid hide behind the bedroom door and say, ‘Mom, tell him I’m not home.’”

That’s one side of one of the many stories involved here. Matthew has denied he was ever abused and brought his kids to visit Sandusky in jail. Family can be a tough thing for everybody, but Long is far from the only person to claim she was bothered by Sandusky long before the grand jury report was released.

Related: Jerry Sandusky fallout, replacing Joe Paterno, and Penn State’s movement to support sexual abuse survivors. For more on the Nittany Lions, visit Penn State blog Black Shoe Diaries. More college football news.

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