Michael Pilato paints activist Dora McQuaid on mural where Sandusky used to sit

Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 June 2012 10:48 Tuesday, 26 June 2012 10:48

Written by Mark Dent

Late in the afternoon on Monday, Michael Pilato put the finishing touches on his latest change to the famous Penn State mural on Heister Street. Last fall, he erased Jerry Sandusky. After Paterno's death, he added a halo above his head.

And after Sandusky was found guilty on 45 of 48 counts of sexual abuse, he decided he needed to change the mural again. In the blank spot where Sandusky used to be Pilato painted Dora McQuaid, a former Penn State student and professor and activist who speaks out for victims of sexual abuse.

On Monday, Pilato painted a blue ribbon through McQuaid's hair. The ribbon is a symbol for child abuse awareness, and this fall McQuaid plans to work with victims of sexual abuse to write a poem that will be printed on the ribbon.

Pilato came back from Norway early and began working on the mural on Sunday, jet-lagged. He wanted to get it done as soon as possible for the victims who spoke out publicly against Sandusky:

"Those kids are our heroes," Pilato said. "To let them know they are brave young men."

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