From 2009 to 20012, Manti Te’o was one of the most dominant college football players in history. Coming into his senior year, he was projected to be one of the best defensive players in the NCAA that year and he did not disappoint. He led Notre Dame to a 12-0 record while winning countless awards and finishing second in the Heisman Trophy voting, an award typically dominated by offensive players.
This was all amazing, especially given that on September 11, 2012, Te’o had announced that both his grandmother and girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, a Stanford University student, had died. Fans were shocked when Te’o continued to play even with the horrible events that had just recently happened, as he had promised his girlfriend that he would continue to play no matter what. Te’o was able to hold it together and perform at the top of his abilities despite all that had taken place.
However, in January 2013, there was a report released that Lennay Kekua was not a real person and did not exist and that the person who was pretending to be his girlfriend was Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, now Naya Tuiasosopo, an acquaintance of Manti. Later on the day that this was released, it was further confirmed by the University of Notre Dame.
Manti had been part of a hoax that had led him to believe that his online girlfriend had passed away. After all of this information became public knowledge, Manti had to defend himself, as some believed that he was also in on the hoax to increase his draft value and get awards. Manti was proven to have not had any part in this elaborate hoax, however, his story has just been told in Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist and fans are wondering what Manti is up to these days.
Where is Manti Te’o now?
Manti had a seven year NFL career after this all happened. Now a free agent, Manti has gotten married to Instagram influencer Jovi Nicole and has a daughter with her. With the position that Manti plays, he should be getting a contract offer soon. Even if he does not get one, he made a significant career out of the NFL, as many players only last two years in the league. Manti hopes that people can learn from his experience and not make the same mistake that he made. Fans can stream Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist now on Netflix.
