APNotre Dame will have one of the top defensive players in the country on the field when it takes the field against Michigan State Saturday, although said player will also sadly be playing with a very heavy heart.
According to multiple media outlets, the grandmother and girlfriend of All-American linebacker Manti Te’o passed away this week in his native state of Hawaii. Te’o girlfriend lost her lengthy battle with leukemia less than a day after his grandmother died.
Irish head coach Brian Kelly would only acknowledge that Te’o had lost “some people very close to” him when asked by local media Thursday. Kelly also confirmed that, despite the toll its taken, Te’o will play against the No. 10 Spartans this weekend.
“It’s obviously taken a toll on him,” Kelly said according to the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. “Our players have been there for him and have been a great support. We’ll support him.
“Unfortunately, he’s gone through a very rough 24, 48 hours. But his support and his family at home have been great, and all of the coaches and players have been there for him. He wants to be with his teammates, he wants to be with the people that care about him. He’s a strong man and he’s going through a tough time, but he’ll rise to the occasion.”
Kelly added that Te’o may return to Hawaii for part of the week after the MSU game and before the Michigan game next weekend.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Te’o as he grieves for his losses.
God bless Te’o and his family. Very sad.
Manuia le malaga for your grandma and girlfriend. Te’o the next Jr. Seau.
As a USC fan it has been hard to wish him success over the years. Now my heart goes out to him and I wish him the best. It often takes these types of situations to show us that fb is not the all important entity that we sometimes believe. My condolences to te’o and his family
Oh man, that is a very hard path for this young man. I will be his biggest fan this weekend, and going forward. Life is full heed knocks, but these are also times when we pull together and our true human spirit shows. Godspeed sir, my heart and prayers are with you.
That is a damn shame young man, I’m truly sorry to hear about your loss…
May the Lord be with you and your loved ones.
Te’o is a great person and has done so much for the community, it’s hard to understand why things happen to people like him sometimes.
Tell you one thing, if he is playing, Michigan St better watch out cuz Te’o is gonna take it out on somebody.
Cougar Nation sends its condolences. No matter how much we love football, family and good friends remain more important. God bless the Te’o family now and always.
As a Michigan fan I usually cheer against ND and its players, but I feel confident I speak for a vast majority of Wolverine fans and players when I wish you Godspeed young man. May you be blessed with better fortunes in the future.
Whoever keeps hitting dislike on these comments needs to really look themselves in the mirror, because if something like this happens to you, you don’t deserve people reaching out for you but you still will. God help you with Manti
Te’o my family wishes you the best.
I will pray for you my friend…..
THE C FAMILY
God Bless Te’o.
God Bless you T’eo. I remembered you in my prayers at church this morning. T’eo represents the best of Notre Dame football, nay, the best of all of college football!