Manti Te’o’s Dead Girlfriend, The Most Heartbreaking And Inspirational Story Of The College Football Season, Is A Hoax

[Scott Dierking]

So here is the breakdown:

Never met her, embellished to parents and media about meeting her because he thought it would be weird to be in a relationship without ever meeting someone.

Not a part of the hoax. Those people have contacted him and apologized.

Just a naive kid who was played for a fool over the course of a few months with someone he trusted too much.

Who knows what the truth is now? He has professional council that PR him up.

[Lil Bit Special]

Schaap asked why Te'o didn't go to see Kekua in the hospital.

"It never really crossed my mind. I don't know. I was in school," he said.

Give me a f#cking break.

[Lil Bit Special]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8859077/manti-teo-notre-dame-fighting-irish-denies-being-part-hoax-late-girlfriend

Manti Te'o denied being part of a hoax involving a relationship with a person online whom he considered his girlfriend, during an interview with ESPN's Jeremy Schaap on Friday night, but did say he "tailored" his stories so people would think he "met her before she passed away."

"No. Never," Te'o said during the 2½-hour interview. "I wasn't faking it. I wasn't part of this."

[+] Enlarge

from TwitterTwitter messages Te'o says he received this week from Tuiasosopo.

Te'o said he didn't know for sure that "Lennay Kekua" never existed until Wednesday, when Ronaiah Tuiasosopo called Te'o and admitted he was behind the hoax.

Te'o said he received a Twitter direct message from Tuiasosopo where Tuiasosopo said he was the perpetrator, along with one other man and a woman. Te'o then talked to Tuiasosopo on the phone Wednesday.

"Two guys and a girl are responsible for the whole thing," Te'o said. Asked who they are, he said: "I don't know. According to Ronaiah, Ronaiah's one."

Later Wednesday, Deadspin.com posted a story detailing an online relationship Te'o thought he had with Kekua which he says he learned was a hoax. Te'o said he has not read the Deadspin story or any other media report since the news broke.

Te'o spoke at the IMG Training Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where he is preparing for the NFL draft. There were no television cameras at the interview, which was recorded on audio.

The Notre Dame linebacker said he did not make up anything to help his Heisman Trophy candidacy. Te'o finished second to Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel.

"When (people) hear the facts, they'll know," he said. "They'll know that there is no way that I could be part of this."

Miller: Interview Leaves Incredulous Taste

Manti Te'o's sprawling dialogue Friday night answered many questions but made the shocking turn of events no less dumbfounding, writes Ted Miller. Story

In the interview, Te'o also said:

• He lied to his father about having met Kekua, prompting his father to tell reporters that Te'o and Kekua had met. Several media stories indicated that Te'o and Kekua had met. Te'o insisted they never did.

• He tried to speak with Kekua via Skype and FaceTime on several occasions, but the person at the other end of the line was in what he called a "black box" and wasn't seen.

• He planned to meet Kekua in person several times, including in Los Angeles and Hawaii, but on each occasion she called off the meeting or sent others in her place.

• The first time he met Tuiasosopo was in Los Angeles. Notre Dame beat USC there on Nov. 24.

• A group of people connected to Tuiasosopo showed up at the team hotel, after curfew, for the Discover BCS National Championship Game in Miami. Te'o said he knew they were at the hotel because the group took photos in the hotel lobby. Someone in the group called Te'o, saying they were waiting for Kekua to join them in the lobby and asking if she was with him. Te'o then hung up. Te'o said it affected his play in the game, where Notre Dame lost to Alabama 42-14.

• Te'o was never asked for money during the plot, but Kekua once requested his checking account number in order to send him money. Te'o did not provide his account number.

A South Bend Tribune report described Te'o and Kekua touching hands during an in-person meeting in 2009 at Stanford, but Te'o said that never happened and he didn't know Kekua until 2010.

"I'd never told anybody that I've touched her hand," he said.

“

I even knew, that it was crazy that I was with somebody that I didn't meet, and that alone -- people find out that this girl who died, I was so invested in, I didn't meet her, as well. So I kind of tailored my stories to have people think that, yeah, he met her before she passed away, so that people wouldn't think that I was some crazy dude.

”

-- Manti Te'o

Te'o said he altered his stories so his family and others would think he did met Kekua in person.

"That goes back to what I did with my dad," Te'o said. "I knew that -- I even knew, that it was crazy that I was with somebody that I didn't meet, and that alone -- people find out that this girl who died, I was so invested in, I didn't meet her, as well. So I kind of tailored my stories to have people think that, yeah, he met her before she passed away, so that people wouldn't think that I was some crazy dude."

Their relationship started, Te'o said, when Kekua sent him a friend request on Facebook the winter of his freshman year at Notre Dame. The two then had intermittent contact over the phone.

"My relationship with Lennay wasn't a four-year relationship," Te'o said. "There were blocks and times and periods in which we would talk and then it would end."

Te'o said their relationship escalated after Kekua told him her father had died.

"She told me her dad passed away, and I was there. I was that shoulder to cry on. And I kind of just naturally cared for the person," Te'o said. "And so our relationship kind of took another level. But not the kind of exclusive level yet."

He said he was told Kekua was in a car accident April 28 and was in the hospital. He said he was told she was in a coma.

"I would ask to talk to her, and the only communication I had was through Noah, her brother, and he used her phone," Te'o said. "And he would put me supposedly right next to her mouth and I could hear the ventilator going. And she would be breathing. ... They said every time I was on the phone, they would tell me the nurse noticed that whoever was on the phone with her, she must have recognized the voice, because she would start breathing quicker and I could hear on the phone."

Te'o was told Kekua awoke from the coma in mid-May. From that point, the relationship became more serious and they spoke on the phone every day.

“

I slept on the phone with her every night. ... I'd be on the phone. And she had complications from the accident, and she said the only thing that could help her sleep was if I was on the phone. So I would be on the phone, and I'd have the phone on the whole night.

”

-- Manti Te'o

"Every day. I slept on the phone with her every night," Te'o said. "... I'd be on the phone. And she had complications from the accident, and she said the only thing that could help her sleep was if I was on the phone. So I would be on the phone, and I'd have the phone on the whole night."

Schaap asked why Te'o didn't go to see Kekua in the hospital.

"It never really crossed my mind. I don't know. I was in school," he said.

Te'o talked often about a "spiritual connection" between him and Kekua. Te'o discussed a ritual where he and Kekua exchanged scripture readings. Soon, his father and mother joined in. They used the SOAP method of study, which stands for scripture, observation, application, and prayer.

"We'd slack off sometimes, and my dad would say, 'Who is slacking now? Whose turn is it to send the scripture?' But for the most part it was every day," Te'o said.

[+] Enlarge

Ryan Jones/ESPN ImagesNotre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o sat down with ESPN reporter Jeremy Schaap in his first interview regarding the hoax surrounding someone he considered to be his late girlfriend.

Te'o also said that his mother "had had lengthy conversations with her about her experiences about being a convert (to Mormonism), and what she thought and shared with Lennay things to look for and things that she should do."

In late June or early July, Te'o said Kekua and her brother told him she had leukemia.

On Sept. 12, his mother and father called Te'o to tell him his grandmother had died. He said Kekua called him after his grandmother's death.

"I was angry. I didn't want to be bothered," he said. "So Lennay was just trying to be there for me. I just, I just -- I just wanted my own space. We got in an argument. She was saying, 'You know, I'm trying to be here for you.' I didn't want to be bothered. I wanted to be left alone. I just wanted to be by myself.

"Last thing she told me was 'Just know I love you.' "

Later that day, Te'o was told Kekua had died from leukemia. He said he was in the Notre Dame locker room when he got the call.

Te'o said he stayed in contact with Kekua's family after her death. They told him not to come to the funeral because "her mom told them she didn't want me to come."

"They didn't want -- and I didn't want myself -- I didn't want that to be the first time that I saw her was laying in a coffin," Te'o said.

Then months later, on Dec. 6, Te'o said he received a phone call from the number Kekua had used. He answered and a woman's voice on the other end said there was something she needed to tell him, but it could wait until after the national title game on Jan. 8.

"I said you have to tell me now, because if you don't tell me now, I'm still going to think about it," Te'o said. "... She said, well, Manti, it's me. That's all she said. And I played stupid for a little bit. I was like, 'Oh, I know it's you, U'ilani (Kekua's purported sister). What do you mean?' And she's like, 'No, Manti, it's me.' "

“

She said, 'It's Lennay.' So we carried on that conversation, and I just got mad. I just went on a rampage. 'How could you do this to me?' I ended that conversation by saying simply this: 'You know what? Lennay, my Lennay, died on Sept. 12.'

”

-- Manti Te'o

Te'o asked who "me" was.

"She said, 'It's Lennay,' " he said. "So we carried on that conversation, and I just got mad. I just went on a rampage. 'How could you do this to me?' I ended that conversation by saying simply this: 'You know what? Lennay, my Lennay, died on Sept. 12.' "

Te'o said he was just confused at this point, and told his parents -- and then the Notre Dame staff -- over Christmas that Kekua might be alive. Notre Dame then started an investigation.

Te'o spoke of Kekua as his girlfriend several times after Dec. 6. One was at the Heisman Trophy presentation in New York on Dec. 8 to ESPN's Chris Fowler. Another was on ESPN Radio the same day. There were two other times, including a column in the Los Angeles Times on Dec. 10. He was also asked about it at a Jan. 3 news conference before the BCS title game but did not refer to his "girlfriend" directly.

Te'o said he still spoke of her in interviews because he was unclear what had really happened.

"I didn't know, myself. I didn't know what to believe," Te'o said. "All I knew for sure in my head was that she died on Sept. 12."

The person claiming to be Kekua told him stories about hiding from "drug people" and provided him with photographs of a different woman than he had seen before.

"There were a whole bunch of possibilities going through my head," he said. "She could have died. This could be (U'ilani) trying to pull a stunt on me."

After the interview, Te'o showed Schaap Twitter direct messages from Tuiasosopo that contained an apology for orchestrating the hoax.

Te'o was asked what he thought should happen to Tuiasosopo.

"I hope he learns," Te'o said. "I hope he understands what he's done. I don't wish an ill thing to somebody. I just hope he learns. I think embarrassment is big enough."

He added: "I'll be OK. As long as my family's OK, I'll be fine."

[Lil Bit Special]

He doesnt need to explain anything. Nothing criminal occurred here. But he really did himself a disservice by not having TV cameras in the room recording the interview. He did himself a disservice by not holding a press conference to discuss and defend. Having this controlled environment only will further the suspicion that he has something to hide or is not telling the whole truth.

It obvious he doesnt want the whole story told, or he would have released more than a few twitter messages. how about emails, phone records, and most importantly, getting his buddy tuiasoposo to talk.

I hope he's prepared for the team interviews where they will be worse on him than jeremy schapp.

[CrazyCarl40]

He doesnt need to explain anything. Nothing criminal occurred here. But he really did himself a disservice by not having TV cameras in the room recording the interview. He did himself a disservice by not holding a press conference to discuss and defend. Having this controlled environment only will further the suspicion that he has something to hide or is not telling the whole truth.

It obvious he doesnt want the whole story told, or he would have released more than a few twitter messages. how about emails, phone records, and most importantly, getting his buddy tuiasoposo to talk.

I hope he's prepared for the team interviews where they will be worse on him than jeremy schapp.

Those won't be on camera will they? He doesn't owe anyone anything. He told his side, which everyone wanted and he told it in the way he wanted. Nothing wrong with that. And Tuiasosopo is not his buddy he is someone he thought was Lennay's cousin.

[Scott Dierking]

Those won't be on camera will they? He doesn't owe anyone anything. He told his side, which everyone wanted and he told it in the way he wanted. Nothing wrong with that. And Tuiasosopo is not his buddy he is someone he thought was Lennay's cousin.

Carl, Someone need to tell you that you are not on the payroll of the teams that you are a fan of. They do not pay you. You are not a PR arm. You are not obliged to stand behind every player, regardless the ridiculous circumstance, regardless how blindly loyal it makes you look.

Being a fan does not mean that you have to take a stance every time that matches their image agenda. In a marriage or relationship, some would call that being their "bitch".

[CrazyCarl40]

Carl, Someone need to tell you that you are not on the payroll of the teams that you are a fan of. They do not pay you. You are not a PR arm. You are not obliged to stand behind every player, regardless the ridiculous circumstance, regardless how blindly loyal it makes you look.

Being a fan does not mean that you have to take a stance every time that matches their image agenda. In a marriage or relationship, some would call that being their "bitch".

Scott, someone needs to tell you that I don't particularly care what you believe. Do you read any of my posts on the Red Sox or the Jets? Obviously I pick and choose my battles about who and what I support. I was not behind Bobby Valentine, I was not behind a lot of the Jets moves this off-season (specifically Tebow). So, Scott, why don't you look at a bigger picture than just this instance. That's very judgmental of you for someone you don't even know aside from an on-line persona.

And nobody, in their right mind ever, would call me a bitch, so you had best just pipe down on that talk.

[Matt39]

This kid is too much. It never occurred to him to go the funeral... Lol ok

[Scott Dierking]

Scott, someone needs to tell you that I don't particularly care what you believe. Do you read any of my posts on the Red Sox or the Jets? Obviously I pick and choose my battles about who and what I support. I was not behind Bobby Valentine, I was not behind a lot of the Jets moves this off-season (specifically Tebow). So, Scott, why don't you look at a bigger picture than just this instance. That's very judgmental of you for someone you don't even know aside from an on-line persona.

And nobody, in their right mind ever, would call me a bitch, so you had best just pipe down on that talk.

The only way I would have to judge you is your online persona. Or is your name really CrazyCarl?

Call 'em like I see 'em. You are a pr arm for players of your fandom. To ridiculous bounds, sometimes.

[CrazyCarl40]

The only way I would have to judge you is your online persona. Or is your name really CrazyCarl?

Call 'em like I see 'em. You are a pr arm for players of your fandom. To ridiculous bounds, sometimes.

And you're wrong. Go ahead and show me proof that I am incorrect in any of my statements. Why would I criticize anyone for no wrong doing? I have been critical of many of the players and teams I am fans of. You have chosen not to look at those things, so that onus is on you.

I'm not going to continue this conversation with you further to give you any credence. You don't know me, you're basing what you think of me solely on my posts about this particular subject and are not seeing things comprehensively. I'm sorry you're a judgmental person who was scorned by his beloved Penn State, you know, just going based on your online persona.

[Bugg]

This kid is too much. It never occurred to him to go the funeral... Lol ok

When people asked, where did they send flowers or mass cards or donations in the name of the deceased? We had a friend who died in a ski accident at 19. When any young person dies it's a big deal.A huge funeral with wailing girls and relatives, big teary drunken reception afterwards. A popular beautiful Stanford coed dies,and yet there's nothing? Where did the game ball go? It's the biggest hole in this story. Nobody is buying the call from beyond the grave. Don't think he grasps how absurd that sounds.

What ever he says, at some point, he knew this was fake.Remains to be seen if he was in on it from the beginning or at some point he hopped on and never got off. And he kept it going because it was good PR and being a stupid young kid he never thought it would get this big. And when it did get so big, he couldn't begin to think how to stop it.

[Scott Dierking]

And you're wrong. Go ahead and show me proof that I am incorrect in any of my statements. Why would I criticize anyone for no wrong doing? I have been critical of many of the players and teams I am fans of. You have chosen not to look at those things, so that onus is on you.

I'm not going to continue this conversation with you further to give you any credence. You don't know me, you're basing what you think of me solely on my posts about this particular subject and are not seeing things comprehensively. I'm sorry you're a judgmental person who was scorned by his beloved Penn State, you know, just going based on your online persona.

Apparently I touched a nerve. May reveal truth

[CrazyCarl40]

This kid is too much. It never occurred to him to go the funeral... Lol ok

If your grandmother and girlfriend died at the same time, which funeral would you go to? I'd imagine they were happening around the same time frame and while he was still in college. Obviously there are holes in this story because the offending fraudster has not come forth to give his side. Not going to know the whole truth, well probably ever, but from everything that has come out it just makes Manti look too trusting to the point of absurdity and naivety.

[Lizard King]

He. Is. Full. Of. sh*t.

[Lil Bit Special]

Those won't be on camera will they? He doesn't owe anyone anything. He told his side, which everyone wanted and he told it in the way he wanted. Nothing wrong with that. And Tuiasosopo is not his buddy he is someone he thought was Lennay's cousin.

Whether they are on camera or not, they're not going to softball their questions to him.

And I dont consider an interview without cameras to be his side of the story. Why, if he really had nothing to do with this, does he not come out and face the media instead of this joke interview? Doesnt make sense.

And why did he say that the truth will come out. Isnt that what last nights interview was about???

Too many unanswered questions still. And no, he doesnt need to do anything else, but his reputation and image will continue to be sh!t until he comes totally clean.

[Lil Bit Special]

This kid is too much. It never occurred to him to go the funeral... Lol ok

He never even visited her while she was sick and he was on summer break!

Thats what i have a hard time with. If he never visited her, if he never had real contact with her, why in the hell did he play it up so much that she was dead? Whether he played a part in it or not, he is still a shady f#ck for using the death of a phone-friend to promote his team and himself.

[Lil Bit Special]

If your grandmother and girlfriend died at the same time, which funeral would you go to? I'd imagine they were happening around the same time frame and while he was still in college. Obviously there are holes in this story because the offending fraudster has not come forth to give his side. Not going to know the whole truth, well probably ever, but from everything that has come out it just makes Manti look too trusting to the point of absurdity and naivety.

He had a pattern with his fake g/f of asking to do something and then being told no, dont visit. Its not just about the funeral. Its about the entire time of his "relationship" he never questioned why he couldnt see her? Im sorry, if my phone-friend had leukemia and was in a car accident, I would find a way to get there, even if they didnt want me there. He didnt, which makes his whole story this year suspect.

[Lil Bit Special]

He. Is. Full. Of. sh*t.

Partly full of sh!t. I believe he was dumb enough to fall for the con. I believe he did take advantage of his dead fake girlfriend to promote the team and himself.

[KennyOB7]

This kid is too much. It never occurred to him to go the funeral... Lol ok

did he even send flowers, read the obit , at the very least leave comments on the guest book.

[bitonti]

i still don't care what happened. All I care about is Eddie Lacey whupped his ass.

[Lil Bit Special]

I hope someone on his team next year has a sense of humor and leaves tickets at will call for Lennay Kekua.

[SayNoToDMC]

i still don't care what happened. All I care about is Eddie Lacey whupped his ass.

I don't disagree with this, but let us play with Carl. He really is crazy.

[CrazyCarl40]

i still don't care what happened. All I care about is Eddie Lacey whupped his ass.

Had more to do with the offensive line dominating the guys up front than anything. But yes, he had a terrible day against Alabama.

[T0mShane]

This kid is too much. It never occurred to him to go the funeral... Lol ok

"She was dying in the hospital--the love of my life--but I was all, yo, I got a big Chem test on Tuesday."

[T0mShane]

I hope someone on his team next year has a sense of humor and leaves tickets at will call for Lennay Kekua.

I hope the Jets draft him so Neil Glat can tell Woody that all the empty seats are actually filled with Lennay Kekua.

[Il Mostro]

I hope the Jets draft him so Neil Glat can tell Woody that all the empty seats are actually filled with Lennay Kekua.

[Greenseed4]

I hope the Jets draft him so Neil Glat can tell Woody that all the empty seats are actually filled with Lennay Kekua.

Good one, Tom.

[SayNoToDMC]

After that hard hitting interview I agree with Carl, he was simply naive. I think the NCAA really needs to get involved in this though. If they spent eight hours a night talking, that's around 240 hours a month. Who's paying this God dam cell phone bill?

[Greenseed4]

I didn't watch his interview because I really don't care. It was apparent to me after seeing his "statement" that there is a major cover-up going on. Manti does not talk with the clarity or vernacular he expressed on paper to ESPN. Someone clearly wrote that for him, and is probably coaching him in how to handle the rest of this situation.

Why is this such a big deal, anyway? Do you know how many times my "grandma died" while I was in college? Like twice a semester. Dead people give you extensions on due dates.

[KennyOB7]

After that hard hitting interview I agree with Carl, he was simply naive. I think the NCAA really needs to get involved in this though. If they spent eight hours a night talking, that's around 240 hours a month. Who's paying this God dam cell phone bill?

worse thing he admitted to was that his fake girlfriend affected his play. He came across like a complete pussy.

NFL scouts want their LBs to be crazed dogs like LT or Ray Lewis, not some weirdo hugging his phone late at night like it's some sort of blanky.

[SayNoToDMC]

I didn't watch his interview because I really don't care. It was apparent to me after seeing his "statement" that there is a major cover-up going on. Manti does not talk with the clarity or vernacular he expressed on paper to ESPN. Someone clearly wrote that for him, and is probably coaching him in how to handle the rest of this situation.

Why is this such a big deal, anyway? Do you know how many times my "grandma died" while I was in college? Like twice a semester. Dead people give you extensions on due dates.

Nobody cares about your grandmother or girlfriend because we're not being bombarded with their life stories to prop up your stupid school, or your Heisman candidacy you probably shouldn't have been in the discussion for anyway. ND and Teo loved the attention on the way up, only fair I now get to enjoy what was obviously a scam as they get dragged through the mud on the way back down.

[Lil Bit Special]

I don't disagree with this, but let us play with Carl. He really is crazy.

I love Crazy. And Carl.

[CrazyCarl40]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--manti-te-o-says-he-didn-t-know-about-girlfriend-hoax--and-what-s-not-to-believe--091138142.html

Good read here.

[Lil Bit Special]

I didn't watch his interview because I really don't care. It was apparent to me after seeing his "statement" that there is a major cover-up going on. Manti does not talk with the clarity or vernacular he expressed on paper to ESPN. Someone clearly wrote that for him, and is probably coaching him in how to handle the rest of this situation.

Why is this such a big deal, anyway? Do you know how many times my "grandma died" while I was in college? Like twice a semester. Dead people give you extensions on due dates.

Dead grandmama dont get you heisman hype. dead grandmama and dead girlfriend does.

[CrazyCarl40]

After that hard hitting interview I agree with Carl, he was simply naive. I think the NCAA really needs to get involved in this though. If they spent eight hours a night talking, that's around 240 hours a month. Who's paying this God dam cell phone bill?

Rollover minutes duh. Or an unlimited plan.