A two-episode arc of Netflix series Untold, debuting on Tuesday, features decade-later interviews with the main players in the Teo story, inc luding Taiusosopo, who is now living as a transgender woman and insists no one else was involved in the scheme. Except, it wasnt the man youd assume itd be at the time. I would prefer to do the interview in-person My wife will be with me in Chicago too so it would be perfect.". Dalton Hilliard, a close friend of Te'o's from Punahou High in Honolulu who now plays football for UCLA, told Thamel that he was often in touch with Kekua. "It was just a trippy situation.". Things I learned from the Manti Teo documentary. Then, on either Sept. 11 or Sept. 12, 2012depending on which source you seekKekua died. Within a few days, Hiltzik told me the linebacker agreed to an on-camera interview. He called often to check in with them, just as he did with his own family. Confused? It's a Sign of Trouble. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Places selling empty boxes claiming to be Lennay Kekua, photos of people with their arms around air, claiming them to be their girlfriends, skits on Saturday Night Live mocking the situation. Usually, I'll have about three days to study film, but now I've got three weeks to study film.". In 2009 he started an online relationship with Lennay Kekua, whom he believed was a student at Stanford. Te'o eventually spoke to a few news outlets at the time, including ESPN, repeatedly denying he had any involvement in the scheme. Treat [people] nice in a world that just spits on you. I gave you my last name and it looks good on you Mrs. Te'o," he wrote. In 2017, Manti Te'o signed a two-year deal with the New Orleans Saints. Theres even a bit of racism in the whole saga, with one news station describing the Lennay Kekua situation as a weird Polynesian plot. Manti Te'o (l) and fake girlfriend Lennay Kekua (r) Manti Te'o was involved in one of the most intricate hoaxes in recent memory while playing linebacker for Notre So, I pushed on to finish our latest "Backstory" episode. Althoughembarrassing, weird, and sadthat's not necessarily the whole story. A lot of it had to do with his stature. Manti Teo was born in 1991 in Laie, on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, to Brian and Ottilia Teo; he said at the age of five that he wanted to be the best and his father He would spend eight hours a night with someone, somewhere, breathing on the other end, he told Thamel. He was in contact with her family, including a twin brother, a second brother, sister and parents. Prior to the game against Cal, Teo touched on the slow start. They call her Lala. Youve probably forgiven us anyway, but you should never have gone through the outpour of hatred and heckling that you did. Less than a week after Notre Dame lost to Alabama in the national championship game, on January 3, 2013, Deadspin reported that Te'o's relationship with Kekua was a lie. Average Retirement Savings By Age: Are You Normal? Jan. 18, 2013 — -- Fresh details have emerged about how complex and layered was the hoax involving Notre Dame star linebacker Manti Te'o and his fake girlfriend, "Lennay Kekua.". 3. I remember how excited I was when I scrolled through Twitter last month and saw the trailer for Netflixs Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didnt Exist. One of her siblings, often her twin brother Noa, would then read him the letter over the phone before sending it to him. Click here for a who's who in the Manti Te'o case. Te'o came in second for the 2012 Heisman Trophy behind Johnny Manziel. Was it a convenient way to back out of his commitment to be interviewed on camera? People want to believe in love. Im going to rise above no matter how hard it is for me. Coincidentally, Kenny Vaccaro, the 15th pick, ALSO played in the NFL from 2013 to 2020. The linebacker was quoted mourning both of their deaths and crediting them for his strength as he led the Fighting Irish to victory, his path making him a contender for the highest honour in American college football, the Heisman Trophy. Manti Te'o was all over headlines in 2012, and not because he was making a Heisman-worthy tackle. Former Notre Dame linebacker and 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist Manti Te'o was part of a catfish hoax during his senior season with the Irish. But between them two, they each recognize the journey that each other had to go on," he said. I just use that as motivation to be the best I can be. "There are a remarkable number of characters involved. We've also been led to believeby the Te'o familythat the two met in person at least once, if not multiple times. She added that Te'o seemed to be a better person after his girlfriend who didn't exist "died," noting,"If you really look at all his interviews, he felt that. I need to know what's going on.' Things I learned from the Manti Teo documentary. So was the world. ", Tuiasosopo explained that she "killed" Kekua after she and Te'o had gotten into an argument in which Te'o told Kekua that he didn't need her. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest. With stolen photos and the deft ability to speak in a young woman's voice, Lennay engaged in a deep, long-distance, online relationship with the face of the college football world. Two hours later, he says he got a call from Kekua's "brother," who frantically told him: "She's gone.". We didn't talk again. According to ABC News interviews and published reports, Te'o received phone calls, text messages and letters before every football game from his "girlfriend." And if he did eventually find out about this hoax, why did he keep bringing it up and addressing it in interviews, in earnest? She would still text and tweet me before my games.". The teammate said he thinks Te'o genuinely got hoaxed. According to their internal investigation: Te'o was duped by "cruel" tricksters. Manti Teo used to be revered. "She and I, man, we had this relationship where it was just amazing," Te'o told Thamel. Shes been going over [it] the last couple of years [during the making of Untold] ] and talking to her, we realized, like, 'Man, theres probably a really incredible story here that goes beyond the headlines.'". In the weeks that followed our last call, I kept trying to get Te'o to agree to a short interview via Zoom, but Hiltzik (and perhaps Te'o) knew I wouldn't agree to any ground rules that would prevent us from asking certain questions. 3. $249.00. "Your story is your film. Teos phenomenal senior year had been attributed to the deaths of his grandmother and girlfriend, who had died on the same day before the start of the 2012 season. Maclain said that Tuiasosopo and Te'o don't harbor any ill will towards one another. The story of it all will be a part of the season two of the Netflix documentary series Untold. Creating a fake profile and tampering with a persons feelings is an awful act which led to damning consequences for her victim. Prior to the game against Cal, Teo touched on the slow start. The linebacker played with the New Orleans Saints for the next three seasons before joining the Chicago Bears for a season in 2020. Or was he just your run-of-the-millHeismancandidate - surrounded by co-eds who would be more than happy to be his girlfriend in real life - that just got caught up simpin' on the interwebs? Te'o and Kekua allegedly struck up a friendship over the next few years, chatting online and over the phone, with Te'o's father noting that Kekua occasionally visited Te'o when she traveled to Hawaii. He told me his faith sustained him through the catfishing aftermath. And to Notre Dame: If you knew something was amiss, why would you promote a fund-raising effort that was launched in "Lennay's" name? Kekua called the linebacker, saying that she will be there for him. Despite the elaborate hoax facilitated by his former teammate Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, Manti Te'o was able to continue his football "It goes to the sophistication of this, that there are all these sort of independent pieces that reinforce elements of the story all the way through," he said. The film, which was It was the same day that Te'o's grandmother, Annette Santiago, passed away. While playing at Notre Dame, he received All-American honors and eight national So was poor Manti Te'o. Te'o is currently a free agent for the NFL. It's not mine," Te'o said. Deadspin also spoke to sources who suggested that he should have known he was being catfished. Some say it happened as soon as she and Te'o's relationship went from platonic to romantic, others say it was April, while others say it was in January. "We're not involved right now.". Related: 43 Best Documentaries on Netflix. It's a Sign of Trouble. Far from it, Teo replies, with his conservative Mormon parents sitting next to him. Ill even admit I had my questions about Teo when the hoax was first unveiled, carrying thoughts of whether one of my favourite football players was a fraud all along. We as a society owe him an apology. Te'o's knowledge about the details of his girlfriend's life was often murky, including her majors in school, occupation and extent of her injuries after an alleged April 28 car accident with a drunk driver. He was signed to the Chicago Bears practice squad in 2020. "I do often find there to be a similarity between faith in a higher power and faith in internet relationships," said Nev Schulman, the co-host and executive producer of the popular series "Catfish," who himself had been catfished online. It's afurther reason why morePasifika people need to tell Pasifika stories. He had after all, loved someone who he had never met (which he lied to his father and some media about), but supposedly talked on the phone to. Teo was clearly off his game, failing to mitigate the onslaught brought on by Alabama, losing 42-14. Get the latest news, stats, videos, highlights and more about linebacker Manti Te'o on ESPN. "And I think that they just accept this as something that did happen, that did have a tremendous impact on both their lives, but obviously theyre willing to talk about it now.". The dynamics were a little different for our latest episode, "The Tale of Te'o" (premieres Sunday at 8:30 p.m. Was Manti Te'o a victim? Be sure to stay tuned toThe Cycle's website and show as we will continue to update the story as we get more information. Thiswouldn't be the first time a guy pretended he was dating, or had met, or had sex witha girl that he hadn't. Although this was not how we envisioned our ceremony, it was perfect. That's what I love about all this time, I have weeks and weeks to study film. These days, Te'o has a wife who does exist. For Teo though, it was a trauma that impacted his very existence. His most recent salary estimate was $132,000 per year. Manti Teo had become the butt of the joke. Deadspin exposed the fact Lennay had never existed in a January 2013 article. "Wussup Don. Te'o played college football at Notre Dame, where he was a consensus All-American and received eight national awards. Tom Thayer Notre Dame Fighting Irish Signed Auto Pro Style Retro Jersey ~ JSA. In August 2020, he married Instagram fitness personality Jovi Nicole, to whom he'd been linked since 2016. Manti Te'o's "girlfriend" was also in touch with his family and friend. But this time, Manti Te'o tells his side of the story at length in the film, which is part of the Netflix series "Untold." MANTI TE'O signed NOTRE DAME Jersey auto All-American TEO Chargers Irish. I was like, 'You have to speak clearly. He came in sixth in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft. "I looked at a leaf falling and it reminded me that I didn't know where to go, I didn't know who to trust. Perhaps one of the most touching displays of love from Kekua to Te'o, he told the writer, was the one-page letter she would write him on her iPad before each game. NASA's Orion capsule blazes home from test flight to moon, 5 Takeaways From Manti Te'o's Interview With Katie Couric. Teo, who is now a married father, gives extensive details about the experience and says he forgives the catfisher. Story continues. Manti Te'o Is Married Now. In the fall of 2012, Manti Te'o was one of the most famous and talented college football players in the country, but by the winter, he was the I slept on the phone with her every single night.". Although Te'o discussed his embarrassment of being played a fool with his parents over Christmas in 2012 and Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly on Dec. 26, the university and Te'o managed to keep it secret during the team's run-up to the BCS National Championship Game. Te'o has kept a low-profile since the news of the scandal broke. Ill take all this crap, Ill take all the jokes, Ill take all the memes so I can be an inspiration to [the] one who needs me to be. Once the Deadspin article placed Te'o in an ignominious light, every NFL team passed on drafting him in the first round of the 2013 North Korea Wants Dollars. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Since the events detailed in the documentary, Manti Te'o has healed from his experience and is now married to model Jovi Nicole Te'o Te'o's father Brian Te'o told Themel that he had received a condolence text message from Kekua after his mother died. I look back on that kid, and I shed tears. As the global pandemic worsened, I assumed an in-person, sit-down interview was a long shot, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic in Chicago was surging and a citywide lockdown was a growing possibility. In the world of American college football in 2009, closely watched freshman linkebacker Manti Teo a hot recruit from Hawaii whose talent was only matched by the religious values so closely aligned with those of the University of Notre Dame, for which he was playing seemed untouchable. We caught up on his life as he told me he had married his longtime girlfriend, Jovi Nicole Engbino, in late August. When Kekua "died" in September 2012, the news came from her brother who texted Te'o from Kekua's phone number, he told Thamel. He then told his family, and the school, and the school hired a private investigator. That's when he told me, 'Lala is gone.' For most, the Manti Teo story was a good and silly laugh that faded into history. Manti says he forgives Tuiasosopo, but explains why he continues to fight to remain a good person despite the mocks and the bullying hes endured over the hoax. The victim of a catfishing scandal had become a villain overnight. Is Manti Te'o a free agent? Tuiasosopo said that she felt that Kekua had essentially become part of her and that her feelings for Te'o were genuineand that the catfish heard 'round the world was neither a cruel joke nor a ploy to get any sort of financial incentive. Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air. The brother then called Te'o to deliver the news. I was like, 'Whoa, I've given so much into this,'" she said. ESPN's "Backstory" was created with the idea that, through hard reporting, we could still tell important stories with new reporting and fresh insights when we don't always get access to the principal subjects. I made my pitch during a wide-ranging, 45-minute conversation. The media owes him an apology. Its arguably the most bizarre sports story of our time and enabled the quickest U-turn in societys feelings towards one man. Te'o said at the time,"I can't really describe it. "Yesterday, the fall leaves were falling in Chicago," he said. The NFL owes him an apology. The documentary will shed some light on the former Notre Dame linebacker and how he was deceived into thinking that he was in a genuine online relationship with a woman named Lennay Kekua. Manti Te'o's supposedly dead girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, was not a real person, as the Social Security Administration did not have a record of her. I want to be the star. Manti Te'o became a household name in 2013, and unfortunately it wasn't necessarily for his skills on a football field. Next, check out the best fantasy football team names. "There are male and female characters, brothers, cousins, mother, and we don't know if it's two people playing multiple characters or multiple people.". Since the scandal broke,Tuiasosopo has transitioned and began living as a woman. ), On Nov. 16, Te'o and I spoke again for 45 minutes. It was important to ask because I wondered if he had been inadvertently referring to any doubts he might have harbored then about Lennay Kekua. "So, the hope was that, whatever was going to happen with the story, we could get through the football game without that having to become part of the -- the news stories.". "Your story is your film," Te'o told me, and it wouldn't be his. Backtrack to the National Championship game against Alabama. Other notable people on the list include Manti Te'o, who had a Netflix documentary about his catfishing scandal debut in August; Brittney Griner, who was In 2009, the former linebacker met a Stanford student named Kekua outside Palo Alto, California, after Notre Dame's victory over Stanford. "He's an emotional guy.". I was elated after going back and forth to try to land the interview, but the feeling did not last long. (Or fell for a pretty face online, for my less-urbane readers). "It hurt me. They revived her twice," he said. Te'o didn't say anything about my desire to ask him about it, but it turned out he would be thinking often about that question in the coming weeks. Te'o's grandmother died on September 11, 2012, but he found out the following day. For Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, there isnt much to be said. Soon after news broke of the hoax, a mix of speculation, confusion, jokes and memes filled social media channels. Never has an exemplary and highly popular player such as Manti Teo transitioned into one of the three most hated athletes in America alongside Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong. Te'o told Thamel that Lennay Kekua's real name was Melelengei, but since no one could pronounce it properly it was shortened to Lennay. Te'o is currently a free agent in the NFL. Did he find out at some point, and realize he was stuck with the story? Manti Teo is an American professional football player who currently plays for the New Orleans Saints in the NFL. Fortunately, Tongan director Tony Vainuku was the man behind this documentary, handling the story with care and creating a safe space forManti, his parents Brian and Ottilia,and Naya to open up abouttheir perspectives of the saga. The Te'os welcomed a daughter named Hiro on Aug. 12, 2021. Manti Teo in Untold: The Girlfriend The piling on was doing no good for a man once described as the perfect Notre Dame football player. One day we found Naya. Millions gravitated toward the story of love and loss, and Te'o was on the cover of Sports Illustrated and the subject of a College GameDay profile. He had eight tackles and two interceptions in the matchup. Another male member of the Polynesian community around Teos age named Ronaiah Taiusosopo was revealed to have posed as a college student named Lennay Kekua, using social media photos taken from the profile of a high school classmate. Where is Manti T'eo now? She spent time in treatment and was released from the hospital on Sept. 10, 2012, with Te'o's father reportedly congratulating her over the phone. He was on top of the world in 2012 and fans were waiting for a reason to crumble the world around him. "I just had to calm him down. Also, Te'o' had arelationship withRonaiah Tuiasosopowho right now seems to be behind the Lennay persona. Only Te'o knows precisely when he first suspected he was hoaxed after believing he was in a relationship he insists felt very real. He is currently a free agent in the league. He said he was duped In June 2012, as Kekua is recovering from injuries she suffered in the car crash, her doctors reportedly diagnosed her with leukemia. I told him I wanted to ask him about a comment about faith that he gave as part of the College GameDay piece in October 2012. Whats worse is how the skillset and intangibles of what made Teo a special talent at Notre Dame had evaporated as soon as he stepped on an NFL field. #joviteo.. He then was on the Chicago Bears practice squad before being moved to the team's active roster in January 2021. Manti Teo was welcomed back to Notre Dame on Saturday and received quite the response from the home fans. SOUTH BEND, Ind. Manti Te'o was selected 38th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2013 NFL draft and did particularly well for the franchise before injuries halted his progress. He was no longer the victim, and had instead been accused of being the perpetrator in order to gain notoriety and fame. They also spoke on the phone "at length" and Brian Te'o also spoke to Kekua's brothers after her death. He previously played for San Diego Chargers for four years, then the New Orleans Saints for two years. The "Oh my girlfriend? Are you gay? American talk show host Katie Couric asks. For a while Kekua was unable to talk and he described the nurse-deemed "miracle" of how Kekua's breathing would pick up when she heard his voice on the phone. But I felt like this was a testament to who she was. "As twisted and confusing as it may be, yeah, I cared for this person," she insisted. Manti Te'o Is Married Now. Others claimed that he was in on the hoax in order to get national media attention. The media owes him an apology. The Notre Dame linebacker fell victim to one of His body going numb during a preseason game, his anxiety ramping up and the constant questioning of himself made Manti Teo a shadow of his former self. We don't know how many people they represent," Notre Dame Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick said at a news conference this week. Except None of that was true, because Kekua did not exist. We began discussing faith and forgiveness, both of which are extremely important to the deeply religious Te'o. We will be having our reception and celebration when Temples and venues open back up so we can share this special occasion with our families and I couldnt be more excited. check out the best fantasy football team names. Te'o was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, playing four seasons with the team. Jan. 18, 2013 -- Fresh details have emerged about how complex and layered In high school, Teo was an all-around star beloved by those around him and on track for a full football scholarship at the University of Notre Dame. Read on. Then we reached out and told her a little bit about our show Untold. At this time, Teo is supposed to be preparing for the NFL draft, the launching pad for young talent to make their professional athlete dreams come true. L ast Saturday Manti Teo watched the new Netflix documentary Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didnt Exist, surrounded by family in his home in Utah. Get the pads back on, smack around some guys, study a lot of film. Me and her never met in person. Watch. Manti Teos girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, did not exist. At the time, after previous NFL stints with the Saints and Chargers, he was in Chicago preparing for a tryout with the Bears' practice squad. Still, questions about Te'o's possible involvement linger more than eight years later, in part because of the careful and seemingly prepared way he initially answered inquiries about what happened. "I slept on the phone with her every single day. But its clear the cloud of judgement had fogged his mind in the months leading up to what was supposed to be his big day. SOUTH BEND, Ind. ET on ESPN and the ESPN App). That's what they call her. He was drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL The Manti Te'o doc doesn't talk enough about how his career prospects were mostly harmed by the fact that the NFL is outstandingly homophobic Today, there are a few openly gay athletes. Man zip-tied, set on fire by California car thieves after stopping to help seemingly stranded woman: Report, Heavy rain, wind, snow blows through California into Sierra, Rain arrives in SoCal Sunday as temperatures remain cold. In 2012, Teo allegedly lost his gifrlfriend, Lennay Kekua, along with his grandmother in the space of 24 hours before the game against Michigan State. Questions about his sexuality surfaced, forcing Teo to face the awkward question line in his first exclusive interview since the scandal had been revealed. IAN BOOK Signed White Notre Dame Fighting Irish Jersey Silver Ink Auto JSA COA. People want to believe that they deserve to be loved and that they will find love.". But her family nicknamed her Lala, he said. Manti Te'o was involved in one of the most intricate hoaxes in recent memory while playing linebacker for Notre Dame. Manti Te'o became a household name in 2013, and unfortunately it wasn't necessarily for his skills on a football field. Te'o recounted how his girlfriend who was "on a machine" after being in a coma. NASA's Orion capsule blazes home from test flight to moon, A baby whose anti-vax parents rejected heart surgery over fear of 'blood that is tainted' had the life-saving surgery anyway after a court intervened, Nurses at Atlanta hospital under fire over TikTok video mocking maternity patients. Journalists, particularly those who work in television, often talk about "The Get," an important, difficult-to-land and exclusive interview. "I talked to my girlfriend every single day," Te'o told Themel. "I think he was just embarrassed about it, the whole internet thing," the teammate said. "I did all that I could to help this person become a better person, even though I wasn't getting nothing out of it." In the course of Lennays phone and online relationship with the ND star, Teo was told shed been in a car accident, diagnosed with leukaemia and died before Taiusosopo then resurrected his fake persona in a phone call to the confused linebacker. He married Jovi Nicole Engbino in 2020 and has a daughter. Though many speculated that Te'o didn't get drafted in the first round because of the circus then surrounding his personal life, insiders believed it was due to his overall performance, not his catfish scandal. Thats the whole reason I am doing this.. Then, things took a dramatic turn. He was drafted in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft after a successful college career at Notre Dame. A Mormon who publicly said he was fighting his best on the field to honour the deaths of his girlfriend and grandmother, the player was even a contender for the Heisman Trophy. Manti Teo is finally speaking in public on the catfishing scandal that took over his life 10 years ago in order to heal, the linebacker said in an interview. Kekua was actually the creation of a young California man named Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, who disguised his voice and pretended to be "Lennay" in a lengthy, online-only relationship with Te'o. Only he would be able to answer some of the questions raised during my reporting, so getting Te'o on camera or the phone was a priority. Manti Teo follows members of the Notre Dame football team walk through the crowd to the stadium. Getty Images Manti Teo in Netflixs Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didnt Exist. Netflix Tuiasosopo did not have any help, even in playing different voices on the phone with Teo. "It was a very dark time for me after the catfishing," he said. For Manti Teo, the world owes you an apology. A newly released transcript of "Sports Illustrated" writer Pete Thamel's Sept. 23 interview with Te'o gives a hint at the staggering depth of the deception. When she was going through chemo, she would have all these pains and the doctors were saying they were trying to give her medicine to make her sleep. 2. There are a lot of layers to Te'o's sad tale, including the heartbreaking ways it haunts him to this day. Matthew Hiltzik, a veteran crisis communications specialist who had helped broker my interview with Te'o, listened in on the conversation as Te'o explained he was vaguely aware of our "Backstory" episode. 1. A fool? Hopefully we get more than written statements, because apparently you can't believe anything you read on the internet anymore. We got Naya on the phone and she was incredibly raw and open and vulnerable about this whole journey. The following week, Te'o, on the same day as Kekua's alleged funeral, helped the Fighting Irish win over Michigan 13-6. Te'o played for Notre Dame in college. There was sleeping with the phone on connected to each other," Swarbrick said. Now, the school is saying: three months after Kekua's alleged death, she contacted Te'o and tried to rekindle the relationship. Earlier in 2012, Te'o was led to believe she was in an accident, and then diagnosed with leukemia, and eventually diedsometime around Notre Dame's game against Purdue. "With all of that time on her hands in the hospital, she was never thinking about herself and what was hurting her. The NFL owes him an apology. Of all the questions I might have asked, why would that one hit a nerve? When he was under the understanding that he lost her, he realized all the good that Lennay had done for him. Related: 5 Takeaways From Manti Te'o's Interview With Katie Couric. Its a sad ending to one of the remarkable Polynesian football players of the past decade. Be the first one to comment on this story. "There were lengthy, long telephone conversations. Manti Te'o became a household name in 2013, and unfortunately it wasn't necessarily for his skills on a football field. "Theres no like, bad blood between these people. And, why is there an Arizona Cardinals fullback insisting that Lennay is real, and why did a Lennay twitter account pop up and defend him? Both Teo and his family, along with Taiusosopo, were interviewed by national media outlets following revelations about the catfishing hoax; Teo claimed to be completely unaware that Lennay had been fictitious and Taiusosopo told Dr Phil hed been in love with Teo during the elaborate fraud. What happened to Manti Te'o? Across the screen came a hard-hitting, Samoan linebacker donning the gold metallic helmet of Notre Dame and the classic #5 jersey, who stole the hearts of sports fans in America with his charisma, charm and relentless motor on the field. He released a statement calling the situation "incredibly embarrassing" and maintaining that he was the victim of a horrible hoax. ", He added, "I always wanted to be the best. "He was just crying and crying and crying," Te'o said. "I pretty much had this escape of Lennay and this was where my heart had pretty much invested, not just time, but all of my energy went into this," Tuiasosopo, who then hadn't yet transitioned, said at the time. But as a new Netflix documentary details a weird and complicated catfishing scheme came to tarnish his meteoric rise. Manti Te'o Signed With Two More Teams. "We lost her, actually, twice. But before we delve into the scandal, a bit of sporting context from a political reporter. The two supposedly started out as friends before forming a romantic relationship, and talked extensively via the phone and online. You feel in your heart and in your soul that it's true.". Manti Teo is an American professional football player who currently plays for the New Orleans Saints in the NFL. However, The South Bend Tribune (via Deadspin) reported that Te'o and Kekua, who claimed to be a Stanford student who lived in Palo Alto, California, met after a football game in 2009. What he was absolutely clear about was how much time he spent in contact with her, especially while she was in the hospital recovering from the car accident, which led to the discovery of her leukemia. You wouldn't know her, she goes to a different school." For Manti Teo - sure, hed fallen for Ronaiah Tuiasosopos tricks and had become too trusting, caring and naive as a 21-year-old. Jan. 7, 2013 - Miami Gardens, Florida, United States of America - January 7, 2013: Notre Dame inside linebacker Manti Te'o (5) prior to the Discover BCS why did a Lennay twitter account pop up and defend him. But the documentary is stamped by a powerful sequence at the films end. From here on, this part gets me. Remember, this was a decade ago - social media has become a much more vicious machine since then. Sometime in 2012, Kekua got into a car accident that left her "near death," but different outlets report different timelines. Another odd "There was general agreement that we didn't really want something like this to be a distraction," John Heisler, Notre Dame's former associate athletic director, recently told me. Over 3 years he was unable to successfully meet her in person, but they spoke on the phone regularly. An accomplice? The Notre Dame linebacker had been the victim of a "catfish," the term for a person posing online as someone else to commit a fraud. One of Te'o's teammates who asked not to be identified told ABC News that it was normal for Te'o to pass his phone around to teammates when he was on the line with "Lennay" so they could say hello to her. "The issue of who it is, who's playing what role, what's real and what's not here is a more complex question than I can get into.". The player said he hasn't talked to Te'o since this story broke. "I talked to her," this teammate said. Man zip-tied, set on fire by California car thieves after stopping to help seemingly stranded woman: Report, Heavy rain, wind, snow blows through California into Sierra, Rain arrives in SoCal Sunday as temperatures remain cold, Donetsk residents exhausted by constant shelling, Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins matchups, how to watch and prediction, Minnesota piano playing brothers return to the stage for holiday concert. "The Tale of Te'o" premieres Sunday, Jan. 3, at 8:30 p.m. For them, it was about playing a game of one-upmanship with sports media giants such as ESPN, by being the first to break the Teo/Kekua story (after getting a tip by someone named Chris) and noticing the mix-up in facts by established media outlets. His stellar defensive display during the 2012-13 season, where he led Notre Dame in tackles and interceptions, helped the Fighting Irish finish with a perfect regular season, only to fall to Alabama in the 2013 National Championship. Manti Te'o earned a total of $10.4 million in salary during his NFL career. Which was a smart move by them, because "noir" issoin, right now. She would say, 'Just call my boyfriend and have him on the phone with me, and I can sleep.' It hit me like a brick wall. After the game, he said Kekua told him she didn't want him to leave Notre Dame, should anything happen to her, requesting only white roses at her funeral. "I do think what Manti said in that interview is a strikingly accurate metaphor for the way he was behaving in his relationship with Lennay. It revealed that the two had never truly met and that former player Ronaiah Tuiasosopo was behind Kekua's identity. Hopefully some of those questions will be answered son, as we may hear from both theperpetrator(puppet-traitor? I had just missed the glory days of Samoan stalwarts Troy Polamalu and Junior Seau, so Manti Teo was the Polynesian sporting icon I could now look up to. Was it an angle that he hoped would help bring him the Heismanwhich, as an award, has a history of falling for "stories" of overcoming adversity? $79.99 + $9.75 shipping. The Notre Dame linebacker fell victim to one of the most highly publicized catfish schemes ever, and he's reliving that trauma once more in the two-part Netflix series Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist. Deadspin, the small sports media organisation who initially published the scandal, admit inUntoldthey didnt anticipate the reaction to the story spiralling out of control as it did. Manti Te'o's "girlfriend" was also in touch with his family and friend. Lennay Kekua was not a real person, but a persona adopted by Naya Tuiasosopo(who then went by Ronaiah Tuiasosopo). He has EVERY reason to be bitter and pissed off still, yet he forgives everyone, including Ronaiah, for this. The fact that Te'o talked about meeting her and touching her hand - when really he only "met" her on the internet - makes this teammate think that he was not completely telling the truth about his relationship. (We later learned Te'o was potentially being paid for his participation and could have some control over the project. https://www.msnbc.com/the-cycle/was-manti-teo-innocent-or-it It was the first time my family had bought Sky TV, so right off the bat, my fingers firmly pressed the six and zero buttons on the remote for ESPN. We as a society owe him an apology. She still couldn't sleep. Manti Teo and his online connection dominated headlines in 2013. Nicole wrote in a post of her own, "Yesterday I got to marry my best friend and the love of my life in an intimate beach ceremony. As our conversation wound down, Te'o told me he would think about the interview. Whether you're unfamiliar with the catfish catastrophe or just want a refresher, here's what to know about the infamousManti Te'o catfish, as well as about Manti Te'o's fake girlfriend and what happened to Ronaiah Tuiasosopo (who now goes by Naya Tuiasosopo). Manti Te'o's supposedly dead girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, was not a real person, as the Social Security Administration did not have a record of her. 1. Things that she would want me to know.". Inside latest 'Backstory': Manti Te'o and the lingering catfish questions, Way-too-early Heisman contenders for the 2023 college football season, Mississippi State's Leach hospitalized in Jackson, Navy wins leader Niumatalolo out as head coach, Oregon State rewards Smith with $30.6M contract, USC quarterback Williams wins Heisman Trophy, Stanford tabs Sacramento State's Taylor as coach, Coach Prime lands 1st ESPN 300 recruit for Buffs, Celebrated Michigan fan dies after cancer battle, 'He's been Superman out there': Caleb Williams' season was full of Heisman moments, The 'Heistman,' a split national title and 1997's dueling, enduring conspiracies, Transfer portal takeaways: Best available, potential QB fits and biggest questions per conference, CFP preview: First look at Georgia-Ohio State, Michigan-TCU, Why USC should be upset, a new-look Clemson and everything we're excited for in bowl season, Orange Bowl preview: Key players, X factors for Tennessee, Clemson, First look at Rose Bowl: Keys to victory for Utah, Penn State, Cotton Bowl preview: Key players, X factors for USC, Tulane, First look at Sugar Bowl: How Alabama, Kansas State can win, denying he had any involvement in the scheme, Host and co-executive producer of the new ESPN series, "Backstory", Member of three Pulitzer Prize-winning teams for national, explanatory and public service journalism, Author of three books, including New York Times best-selling "First Off the Tee: Presidential Hackers, Duffers, and Cheaters from Taft to Bush", 24-year newspaper career at The New York Times and Miami Herald. Te'o, a linebacker for Notre Dame's Fighting Irish, famously believed he was in a relationship with a woman named Lennay Kekua, despite never meeting her in person. When the chance to tell his story through a Netflix documentary emerged, Teo was adamant that his catfisher be included. She was just always thinking about others. But the world had taken his trusting heart and crushed it to pieces. It's motivation. A new side to the story. Kekua and her family were also in frequent contact with Te'o's family and friends. A man named Ronaiah Tuiasosopo (who now identifies as Naya, a transgender woman) was behind the phenomenon we now know as catfishing. ", He again denied he had played any part in the hoax: "It's outrageous!". North Korea Wants Dollars. Manti Te'oa runner up for the Heisman trophywas involved in an online-girlfriend deception that falls somewhere betweenthe films "Catfish", "The Sixth Man," and "Flight.". Te'o's father may be one of the main sources behind the "story" of how they met. Patti LaBelle escorted off stage in Milwaukee amid bomb threat, 14-year-old accidentally shoots self at Stonecrest Mall, causing panic, police say. Te'o has an estimated net worth of $3.5 million. Despite the elaborate hoax facilitated by his former teammate Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, Manti Te'o was able to continue his football career. When Te'o got the call telling him that Lennay had died last fall, he was in the locker room, the teammate said. The story involves former Notre Dame linebacker and 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist Manti Te'o, who was part of a catfish hoax during his senior season with the Fighting Irish. Professionally, he has played for the San Diego Chargers, New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears in the NFL. For more ), and the player himself. Kacy Standohar (@kacystandohar) August 17, 2022. Unfortunately, that story was a hoax. I was just stuck.". Even if the situation helped enlighten Naya on her journey of self-discovery, it shouldnt have been at the expense of someone else. He said his ailing girlfriend had previously told him that if she died, he should keep playing in her memory. But we do want to hear what you think about this whole hoax. Face of fake Te'o girlfriend speaks out Diane O'Meara's photos were used without her knowledge to portray the fake girlfriend of football player Manti Te'o. In September 2012, Te'o believed he was told his girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, had died of leukemia. With so many questions swirling around the revelation that Te'o's fake girlfriend, a source in the Notre Dame athletic department said the school would like Te'o to speak out publicly, but noted that they are not currently in touch with him. Tell us on our Facebook page if you think he was in on it or a victim. ", "Catfish" movie director and actor Ariel Schulman told "Good Morning America" today that he believes there may have been "a few other people duped by the fake Lennay character.". 2. "He got real emotional, crying," the teammate said. Almost exactly a month after the Heisman ceremony, where votes placed him second, sports site Deadspin broke an expose claiming that TeOs girlfriend had never existed. According to Deadspin's reporters Timothy Burke and Jack Dickey (as well as some handy sleuthing by Justin Megahan): The dates don't match up in Te'o's description of events: When he found out she died, when he was getting letters from her, when he met her, etc. Manti Teo is a name that will forever be etched in my memory because he was THE guy when I started watching American football in 2012. He was the story of the college football season. Free shipping. He told me he wanted to explain his reasons for backing out of our scheduled interview. Another odd thing was that there wasn't a funeral record, obituary, or any news of her passing in her university's newspaper. IE 11 is not supported. The documentary will also highlight Ronaiah 'Naya' Tuiasosopo, the individual who orchestrated the hoax of the linebacker's fake girlfriend. Manti Malietau Louis Teo (/mnta to/; born January 26, 1991) is an American football linebacker who is a free agent. "She was a very supportive, loving passionate individual," Hilliard told the writer. ET on ESPN and the ESPN App, but you can check out the complete "Backstory" series from ESPN investigative reporter Don Van Natta Jr. on ESPN+. I'm just excited to get back and get things cracking Go back home, see all my brothers, get back into the groove of things. I first spoke by phone with Te'o on a Saturday morning this past October. His poor performance in that game, followed by the scandal and questions of doubt (much of it around Mantis sexuality) by NFL teams saw him drop to the second round of the draft to the San Diego Chargers, losing millions of dollars in the process. Teo was an all-star high-school linebacker and one of the hottest recruits of his age before signing with the University of Notre Dame, where he played from the 2009 to 2012 football seasons. She went on and wrote a letter to me before every game. Te'o got drafted to the San Diego Chargers. According to Spotrac, he was set to bring in $2.5 ", I don't think Te'o wanted to face my hard questions, especially after he told me during one of our subsequent conversations he would not reflect upon this comment he made on national television in October 2012 about faith: "Faith is believing in something that you most likely can't see, but you believe to be true. During an interview on Dr. Phil in January 2013 (via The Associated Press), Tuiasosopo said that Te'o had "no involvement" in the catfish and had no clue that Kekua wasn't real. It's called "The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist." "And I realized right then in that moment, that I poured so much into Lennay, that I myself was getting nothing, and look what I was left with.". Getty Images Manti Teo in Netflixs Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didnt Exist. Netflix Tuiasosopo did not have any help, even in playing different voices on the phone move has been around as long as peer pressure, pride, and insecurity, so, forever. We settled on a date, time and venue, and, this time, there would be no ground rules. Manti Te'o released a statement after the news broke, saying that he felt the relationship he was in with Kekua was real: In subsequent interviews, he admitted that he lied to friends and family about meeting Kekua in person. Teos phenomenal senior year had been attributed to the deaths of his grandmother and girlfriend, who had died on the same day before the start of the 2012 "At some point the ball ends up in his court," the source said. "I wasn't suspicious.". Obviously, I have a lot of work to do. Manti Teo was born in 1991 in Laie, on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, to Brian and Ottilia Teo; he said at the age of five that he wanted to be the best and his father took his football training seriously. Manti Teo follows members of the Notre Dame football team walk through the crowd to the stadium. The executive producers of Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist,Chapman Way and Maclain Way,told the New York Post that they found Tuiasosopo on Instagram and that she details her own personal journey in the documentary. And "Kekua" kept in contact with Te'o's friends and family, and teammates spoke to her on the phone. The story focused on the catfishing scandal involving former college football standout Manti Teo, who had fallen for a romantic hoax and left him vulnerable to the callous nature of social media and society as a whole. Manti Te'o is a football linebacker born on January 26, 1991, in Laie, Hawaii. L ast Saturday Manti Teo watched the new Netflix documentary Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didnt Exist, surrounded by family in his home in Utah. So by now you've heard that "the most inspirational story in sports" was a hoax. It might not surprise you that Teo received a phone call days before the championship game from his dead girlfriend, who said they were supposedly still alive. She flatlined twice. "She was all about God and prayer and being able to have faith. A baby whose anti-vax parents rejected heart surgery over fear of 'blood that is tainted' had the life-saving surgery anyway after a court intervened, Nurses at Atlanta hospital under fire over TikTok video mocking maternity patients. In January 2021, he was moved to the team's active roster. Everything, including background checks pointed towards her not existing. Tuiasosopo catfished Te'o big time. Teo sees a therapist, who says: What happened to you is not your fault. $69.95 In mid-November, Hiltzik told me Te'o instead had committed to doing a documentary project with The Players' Tribune and Netflix, but there was still the possibility of a shorter, formal interview with Te'o via Zoom. 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