I CHOSE TO FORGIVE

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 leukaemia.

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