LIFE seemed to be handing everything to him on a silver platter: he had a dazzling sports career ahead of him, a growing band of fans and a beautiful girlfriend he’d met online who seemed like the perfect partner.
Manti Te’o’s future seemed alive with possibility – until everything came crashing down.
First, his beloved grandmother died and then, just hours later, he learnt his girlfriend had lost her battle with leukemia.
Yet despite the back-to-back losses Manti soldiered on, putting his grief aside to play in the national American football championships where he led his team to victory and dedicated his success to his gran and girlfriend.
His inspiring story captivated the nation and won him many fans – but their love and admiration turned to disgust and disbelief when it emerged his girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, had never had cancer.
In fact, she wasn’t even real.
Americans presumed he’d fabricated the whole story to get sympathy and he soon went from hero to zero.
The gripping tale of Manti’s rise, fall and ultimate redemption is told in The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist, the latest instalment in Netflix’s Untold series. The episode has dominated the streaming service’s top 10 shows and everyone from Kim Kardashian to basketball star LeBron James is talking about it.
It marks the first time Manti has opened up about the drama that nearly destroyed his life and it’s helped him deal with the hurt, he says.
Denne historien er fra 22 September 2022-utgaven av YOU South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra 22 September 2022-utgaven av YOU South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
I DIDN'T CHOOSE TO BE A LOVE CHILD
As the illegitimate daughter of the king, she fought to be recognised as part of Belgium's royal family, but Princess Delphine says she still feels unwelcome
'I STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES'
A bite from a spitting cobra 13 years ago nearly killed her but Mikayla survived - and she's made peace with her scars
THE CLAWS ARE OUT!
Things have grown frosty between the Beckhams and the Sussexes as Becks comes out in clear support of William
SA'S TOXIC FOOD SCARE
R15 million for rapid testing
ROYAL FAMILY TURMOIL
Prince Haakon addresses stepson's arrest on rape charges
BALLON IN THE BAG
Manchester City midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante says his Ballon d'Or win is a victory for Spanish football
IT WAS ALL A LIE
A new doccie exposes the Grey's Anatomy writer who fabricated her life story
'I WILL NEVER GIVE UP'
After her husband, anticorruption activist Alexei Navalny, was poisoned and murdered by the Kremlin, she became the public face of Russia's opposition. In this candid interview Yulia Navalnaya opens up about life on the run, her perilous family life and why she's continuing her husband's fight to save their country
AGREE TO DISAGREE
Trevor Noah on how his childhood squabbles with his mother inspired his delightful new book
PAUSE THE CLOCK
Researchers have discovered that the ageing process spikes at 44 and 60. Here's what you can do to slow it down
