Notre Dame's Manti Te'o takes composite girlfriend concept to new level with tragic lost love who didn't exist; University (today) says he was duped; Te'o calls it 'sick joke'

So Manti Te'o was essentially showing people a picture of "Man-Hands" and claiming it was his dead girlfriend? Really?

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 16, 2013

Well, yes, that’s pretty much it. Deadspin.com has the (much longer but fascinating) account, but in short, University of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o’s girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, didn’t die tragically at 22 because she was never born in the first place. As writers Timothy Burke and Jack Dickey report:

Outside of a few Twitter and Instagram accounts, there’s no online evidence that Lennay Kekua ever existed.

The photographs identified as Kekua — in online tributes and on TV news reports — are pictures from the social-media accounts of a 22-year-old California woman who is not named Lennay Kekua. She is not a Stanford graduate; she has not been in a severe car accident; and she does not have leukemia. And she has never met Manti Te’o.

That so many people were touched by the inspirational story of triumph over tragic loss makes the revelation of the hoax even that much more shocking. Te’o did indeed lose his grandmother last September, but the death of his beloved “Lennay Kekua” of cancer months after a serious car accident was so sad it was reported by ESPN, Sports Illustrated and other media outlets, accompanied by a photo snagged from a stranger’s Facebook account.

https://twitter.com/shawn_hunwick/status/291667236203151360

It is real life. Once the shock wore off, though, the idea of someone creating a pretend girlfriend on the Internet didn’t seem all that far-fetched. Pathetic, but plausible.

https://twitter.com/CLoudyDIREwolf/status/291667543498825728

On Dec. 26, 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.

Sports Illustrated writer Pete Thamel is asking the questions that have everyone scratching their heads.

https://twitter.com/SIPeteThamel/status/291669951339716608

https://twitter.com/SIPeteThamel/status/291670275920109568

https://twitter.com/SIPeteThamel/status/291670844386705408

Um, what?

https://twitter.com/JulieDiCaro/status/291672570233769984

Notre Dame is conducting an investigation into the "hoax" on Manti Teo? While they're at it, maybe they can help OJ find the real killers

— CaptainTouchback (@CaptTouchback) January 16, 2013

So, to be straight, Manti Te'o was the victim of "a hoax" that he and the school then bought into and used to their advantage?

— Mike Sisak (@mikesisak) January 16, 2013

https://twitter.com/andylevy/status/291673233147711488

I at least want to hear Manti's side of the story. Not sure I'll believe it, but give it a shot.

— CuddlyButMuscular (@CleveNole) January 16, 2013

* * *

Update: The plot thickens — how could it not? Deadspin posted its story just over an hour ago. Notre Dame responded that coaches were approached about the hoax Dec. 26. But was someone on to the story as early as Dec. 3?

An account currently suspended tweeted that the Manti Te'o – Lennay Kekua story was a hoax — in December. pic.twitter.com/JWrCCgD2

— Mike (@ThePantau) January 16, 2013

That’s certainly suspicious. Two tweets from a user named “catfishhhhhhhh”?

https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/291673393718231041

You remember that movie, Erick. Universal Pictures said it was “a riveting story of love, deception and grace within a labyrinth of online intrigue.”

https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/291673884799946753

* * *

Update:

Te’o has issued a statement, calling himself the victim of a sick joke.

Manti Te'o statement on girlfriend who didn't exist http://t.co/Vx6XboEG

— Mark Schlabach (@Mark_Schlabach) January 16, 2013

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.

* * *

Update:

Who knew that Lennay Kekua didn’t exist, and when did they know it? The Big Lead is reporting that ESPN has been sitting on the story for 10 days.

https://twitter.com/TheBigLead/status/291689226775441408

.@TheBigLead @WillMcAvoyACN but they had no problem reporting about the fake girlfriend’s death w/o confirming she existed

— lvdjgarcia (@lvdjgarcia) January 16, 2013

Hmm. Back in September, just days after Kekua’s “death,” Te’o asked her (via tweet) to say hello to other loved ones in the afterlife.

https://twitter.com/MTeo_5/status/246020457298550784

https://twitter.com/MTeo_5/status/246114619989573634