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By Nomadic Chris, 2 February 2010
Can the love and support of a kind hearted family truly transform a damaged life for the better?
Can sports really give a person the chance to find their way in life?
In the case of Michael Oher, the answers are a resounding yes….!
The new film “The Blind Side” is the remarkable story of Michael Oher and how he and his adoptive family transformed his life. From a troubled early life, he is now on the brink of superstardom; he was recently drafted by the Baltimore Ravens. An incredible turnaround for this 6 ft 5 inch, 309-pound gentle giant who spent the first 16 years of his life virtually homeless.
Oher's (portrayed by Quinton Aaron) story could have ended up tragically as his initial circumstances were against him:
Oher came from a broken family comprised of 13 siblings from the poorest part of Memphis, USA.
His environment was one of crime, drugs, broken families and unemployment.
Oher had an absent father who was later found murdered while his mother was unfortunately addicted to crack cocaine.
Oher attended up to 11 different schools in 9 years which only reinforced his restlessness further.
Oher had to repeat both first and second grade and was barely literate at a young age.
Oher often moved from foster home to foster home.
Such circumstances can breed a sense of total disillusionment, hopelessness and a vicious cycle of underachievement.
Luckily for Oher, his life slowly began to change. Oher had recently been admitted to Briarcrest Christian School as a special needs case. This school was on the other side of town. A kind friend, Tony Henderson, who allowed Oher to sometimes crash on his sofa, took Oher to the school along with his own son, Steven.
Fate further intervened one cold winter night. A couple, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy (played by Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw) were driving home one night when they spotted Oher walking alone on the street in freezing weather. He was only wearing shorts and a T shirt. Sean, a volunteer coach at the aforementioned school recognized him; they took him in for the night.
It would be easy for a simple kind gesture to end there but Ohers life would transform forever. In order to get his life back on track, he was allowed the freedom to come and go from the Touhys home. This is a grand gesture for a family to give a virtual stranger. Realizing that Ohers education had suffered, they hired a tutor to work with him for 20 hours a week. A little support and a few kind words can make all the difference for some people.
Oher moved in permanently with the Touhys but now faced different challenges. Adapting to a new environment, getting his grades up and of course, building his self esteem and self image. Somewhat freed from his negative environment; Oher began to excel in both the classroom and on the sports field. This is where football came in! Taken up as a sport to mix in better with his classmates, it took him to places he never imagined in his wildest dreams.
At Briarcrest High school, he was named Division 2 (2A) linesman of the year and first team Tennessee All State! His grades dramatically improved from O.6 GPA to eventually 2.65 GPA which would allow him to attend university. Oher eventually went to the University of Mississippi and became a star player and also gained a degree in Criminal justice. To cap it all off, he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2009 and played every game of this season.
Michael Ohers story is truly inspiring! Ohers life could have gone down a completely different route before fate intervened. It still could have turned out for the worse but Oher had a good attitude and realized that opportunities like his are rare; he had to literally grab it with both hands. His life has gone full circle and his troubled youth just a distant memory……….
The film has been a success but not without controversy. It has been criticized for not showing enough of his past life and for the sugar-coated script. Nevertheless, everyone likes a feel good story! Ohers story has just begun and no doubt there will be many more glorious chapters!
Everyone has a ‘Blind Side’; sometimes people cannot see the wider scenario but even in the most difficult of circumstances and at the most unlikely of times, life can open new doors. It is your choice to choose the right path to follow. Dream Big!
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