Legendary former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, who was fired in the wake of a child sex abuse scandal, died on Sunday from lung cancer. He was 85.

Paterno's family said in a statement that he “fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been.”

Paterno was being treated for lung cancer, and he also fell and broke a hip in December.

Paterno, affectionately known as “Joe Pa,” had a record 409 victories — the most by any major college football coach — and two national championships.

He was fired later last year for failing to take tougher action against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky after being told of an incident in a locker room shower where Sandusky allegedly molested a 10-year-old boy.

Paterno was criticized for not informing outside authorities about the incident, although he informed the school's athletic director and a university vice president.