Longtime Penn State Director of Athletic Medicine Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli died Monday at the age of 68, the university confirmed Tuesday.
Sebastianelli spent 38 years in the medical field and more than 30 as PSU’s director of athletic medicine.
He was also the Associate Chief Medical Officer for Penn State Health, Centre County Region, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at the University Park Regional Campus, Kalenak Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Penn State College of Medicine and Sports Medicine Fellow Director in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation.
Sebastianelli spent 16 years as the chief of staff at Mount Nittany Medical Center and Mount Nittany Surgical Center, and was a member of the Big Ten Sports Medicine subcommittee on eligibility.
Sebastianelli got his degree from Penn State in 1992.
In 2006, he surgically repaired one of Joe Paterno’s knees, which was injured during a game at Wisconsin, and two years later, he surgically repaired his hip.
In a statement posted to Penn State’s website, President Neeli Bendapudi said that from the first time she met Sebastianelli, she “knew why so many in our community trusted and respected him.
“He was kind and caring, and widely recognized as a leader in his field,” she said. “His contributions over more than 30 years at Penn State left an indelible mark on generations of our students, his colleagues, and many others in our community — from the sidelines, to the classroom, to the laboratory, and to the exam room. On behalf of the Penn State community, I want to express my deepest condolences to Michele and the rest of Dr. Sebastianelli’s family, and to thank them for sharing him with all of us.“
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft said that Sebastianelli “embodied the very best of Penn State.“
“He cared deeply for our student-athletes as individuals, always prioritizing their health, safety and well-being above all else. His influence on our athletics community was extraordinary. Through his compassion, expertise and steadfast dedication, he shaped generations of Nittany Lions and touched lives far beyond our athletic programs, reaching every part of our University and community. He had a remarkable gift for making everyone feel seen, valued and cared for. We are deeply saddened by his passing and extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and to all who were fortunate to know him as a friend.”
First-year Penn State football coach Matt Campbell wrote that, although he didn’t know Sebastianelli long, he “could see why he was such an important piece of this incredible brotherhood we have at Penn State football.“
“The impact he had on this football program and athletics department was second to none,” Campbell said. “Penn State football will be forever grateful for his contributions and the standard he set for everyone around him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Sebastianelli family.”
Some of Sebastianelli’s finest work took place when he helped defensive back Adam Taliferro recover from a spinal cord injury that ended his football career in 2000.
“My heart is truly broken today,” Taliferro said. “I speak on behalf of every Penn State Football Letterman when I say that Dr. Sebastianelli was so much more than our doctor; he was family. For me personally, his eyes were the first I looked into when I was paralyzed on the field. In that moment, he gave me and my family something we desperately needed. Hope. Without him, my story would not be what it is today. Doc didn’t just care for us in the game; he walked with us through life. There are no words that can fully capture what he meant to me. His passing is not only a tremendous loss for Penn State football, but for the entire Penn State community. If you spend even a little time in State College, you’ll hear countless stories of how Doc impacted lives, players, families, friends, and it was so much bigger than football. Every time he visited me in the hospital, he would kiss my forehead and say, ‘I love you.’ That’s who he was. That’s how he lived. Doc, I love you. We all love you. And we will carry your legacy with us forever. You will be deeply missed.”
Sebastianelli is survived by his wife, Michele, son Geoff and daughter Alyssa.
