Major props to Deadspin for uncovering an incredible hoax, coverup, catfish, whatever you want to call it, involving Manti Te'o. The tragic story of his girlfriend, Lenny Kekau, and her fight with leukemia, was a creation. They would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids.
Update: 5:20 – Notre Dame has issued a statement via Facebook.
Notre Dame coaches were informed by Manti Te’o and his parents that Manti had been the victim of what appears to be a hoax in which someone using the fictitious name Lennay Kekua apparently ingratiated herself with Manti and then conspired with others to lead him to believe she had tragically died of leukemia. The University immediately initiated an investigation to assist Manti and his family in discovering the motive for and nature of this hoax. While the proper authorities will continue to investigate this troubling matter, this appears to be, at a minimum, a sad and very cruel deception to entertain its perpetrators.
Dennis Brown
University Spokesman | Assistant Vice President
Update: 6:20 – Te'o has released a statement via ESPN.
"This is incredibly embarrassing to talk about, but over an extended period of time, I developed an emotional relationship with a woman I met online. We maintained what I thought to be an authentic relationship by communicating frequently online and on the phone, and I grew to care deeply about her.
"To realize that I was the victim of what was apparently someone's sick joke and constant lies was, and is, painful and humiliating.
"It further pains me that the grief I felt and the sympathies expressed to me at the time of my grandmother's death in September were in any way deepened by what I believed to be another significant loss in my life.
"I am enormously grateful for the support of my family, friends and Notre Dame fans throughout this year. To think that I shared with them my happiness about my relationship and details that I thought to be true about her just makes me sick. I hope that people can understand how trying and confusing this whole experience has been.
"In retrospect, I obviously should have been much more cautious. If anything good comes of this, I hope it is that others will be far more guarded when they engage with people online than I was.
"Fortunately, I have many wonderful things in my life, and I'm looking forward to putting this painful experience behind me as I focus on preparing for the NFL Draft."
Manti Te'o's dead girlfriend, the most heartbreaking and inspirational story of the college football season, is a hoax. deadsp.in/fZ5POJa
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) January 16, 2013
If this Manti Te'o story doesn't break Twitter, then Twitter can't be broken. Here we go.
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelCBS) January 16, 2013
cuz why would anyone REALLY check it out? RT @prosb4hos: How did this not come out until AFTER Heisman and Championship game?How?
— Bomani Jones (@bomani_jones) January 16, 2013
I have to say, inventing a dead girlfriend is the boldest Heisman stunt ever. Makes a Times Square billboard seem quaint
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) January 16, 2013
Just finished the Deadspin story on Manti Te'o. Stunned, bewildered, disheartened … This is unreal.
— Pat Forde (@YahooForde) January 16, 2013
Wait, wait, wait….Manti Te'o catfished us all???
— Matt Whitener (@CheapSeatFan) January 16, 2013
"Losing my girlfriend and my grandma, that was possibly the hardest time in my life…" November 2012: youtube.com/watch?v=ao109a…
— Abe Schwadron (@abe_squad) January 16, 2013
the other part: WE found out about the dead girlfriend immediately after his granny died. perhaps the most unsettling part.
— Bomani Jones (@bomani_jones) January 16, 2013
This isnt even a case of catfish. She never existed. This is ghostfish. Like what Ghost Dad would eat for dinner.
— D'Brickashaw (@DragonflyJonez) January 16, 2013
"Holy SHIT." RT @bfeldmancbs: I'm told Notre Dame will have an official comment on the Deadspin Manti Te'o story shortly
— Bruce Arthur (@bruce_arthur) January 16, 2013
Notre Dame statement says Te'o was the victim of a "sad and very cruel" hoax. I just … I can't … what?
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelCBS) January 16, 2013
RT @bookgirl96: As a PR person, I would have told Notre Dame to hold off on a statement instead of releasing a ridiculous one.
— Russ Bengtson (@russbengtson) January 16, 2013
If Te'o really did tell people/reporters he talked with her – and she visited in Hawaii – then it won't take long to nuke that statement.
— Travis Haney (@TravHaneyESPN) January 16, 2013
Manti Te'o's pants are an inferno
— Maurice Bobb™ (@ReeseReport) January 16, 2013
Is Oprah planning next to call Manti Te'o?She's now talking to sports folks…just saying.
— exhoopsprguy (@exhoopsPRguy) January 16, 2013
