Michael Oher biological parents are Denise Oher and Michael Jerome Williams from Memphis. Michael was adopted by Leigh Anne Tuohy when he was 6.
Michael is a former NFL player who had a rough childhood. He grew up in a substance-infested neighborhood.
He was one of 12 children of Denise, who often didn't know where their next meal was coming from or where they would sleep.
Oher started his career with the Baltimore Ravens, who drafted him in the 2009 NFL Draft.
He has also played for the Carolina Panthers and the Tennessee Titans. Besides, his playing career ended after a failed physical in July 2017.
Further, Oher is also featured in Michael Lewis' 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game. A portion of the book was adapted into a film released in the United States on November 20, 2009.
Michael Oher Parents And Childhood Growing Up In Memphis
Michael biological mother and father were absent while he was growing up. Michael's real mom Denise Oher struggled with substance abuse.
The former NFL star’s childhood was quite challenging, with his biological father being absent from his life and his mother not being involved in her kids' upbringing.
Growing up, Oher didn’t share close ties with Michael and Denise. His dad had spent the majority of his life in prison. Michael does not recall any father-son bonding with him.
The NFL star was in high school when he learned that his father had passed away in the cell. It took three months for the news to reach him, partly because it took some time for him to be identified.
In the movie Blind Side, it was cited that Michael Jerome took his life by jumping off the bridge while, in reality, he was a victim of a cell fight.
Tony Henderson assisted him in enrolling at Briarcest and notified the school's administration, as his father had not been present during his formative years.
Denise Oher Had Her Own Struggles
Michael Oher real mom Denise Oher never had a proper relationship with him. She struggled with substance use her entire life.
Although the relationship between Michael and Denise wasn’t good, his mom had spoken to several media outlets over the years about her son.
Likewise, in 2013, she was a guest of honor at a Super Bowl watch party when Michael won the Super Bowl with the Ravens in downtown Memphis.
While talking to the local station, Denise praised her son and stated that she was proud of Michael and knew from the beginning that he would be successful in sports.
That same year, Kait8 cited Oher’s mom staying in a public lodging complex in Foote Homes, South City, Memphis. She was staying with one of Oher’s siblings.
When interviewed, Denise stated that she had never watched The Blind Side and was embarrassed by her past.
Denise added that she worked on it, prayed, remained devoted, and maintained a desire to alter her life away from substance.
Furthermore, she confessed that Michael had assisted her financially, but she was seeking a job and eager to work.
Oher Was Adopted By Tuohys
Michael Oher was raised by his parents Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy. They adopted him when he was 16 years old.
The Tuohys initially crossed paths when they were students at Ole Miss. At that time, Anne was a cheerleader, homecoming housekeeper, and an active member of her sorority Kappa Delta.
On the other hand, Sean was a standout on the basketball court. It didn’t take much time for them to begin a relationship.
And after dating for some years, Sean and Anne married in June 1982.
In an Instagram post shared by Leigh in 2018, the couple celebrated their 36th anniversary, where she praised her husband for always being by her side and making her life an adventure.
After the wedding, the couple welcomed their two kids while adopting Michael in 2004, when he was 16.
The sequence of the movie explains that Tuohys noticed him when their daughter Collins was playing volleyball at Briarcrest High School, where he picked up food on the bleachers.
One thing led to another, and Michael slowly became a Tuohy family member. Leigh Anne had a face-to-face conversation with Oher’s biological mother about adopting him, who was taken from him when he was seven.
Sean Tuohys Is A Commentator
Sean Tuohy is a sports commentator and restaurant owner who played collegiate basketball at the University of Mississippi.
Tuohy led the Ole Miss Rebels during his basketball career to their first SEC men's basketball tournament in 1981. While playing for Ole Miss, he was named All-SEC in his four seasons.
Similarly, he is one of only four basketball players chosen for the Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame.
Sean learned his athletic passion from Edward, who worked as a basketball coach at the Isidore Newman School.
Aside from this, he is a successful multi-band fast food entrepreneur who owns and runs around 60+ fast food restaurants.
Likewise, Tuohy has almost 15 years of NBA broadcasting experience with the Memphis Grizzlies.
The love and support of the Tuohys aided Oher to make his dream come true and paving a path to the NFL.
In February 2013, the entire Tuohys family was on the sidelines cheering on Michael as he won his first Super Bowl.
Leigh Anne Tuohy Is A Businesswoman
Leigh Anne Tuohy is a successful businesswoman and an interior designer from Memphis Tennessee.
Professionally, Tuohy was selected as one of three fresh design crew associates for ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in 2010 for her outstanding work.
Anne once owned over 115 fast food franchises of Kentucky Fried Chicken and Taco Bell, along with her husband, but they sold the bulk in six different deals and only held about 11 outlets in 2020.
Moreover, the Tuohy family is also involved in charitable work, having formed the Making It Happen Foundation, which raises awareness and improves the lives of disadvantaged children.
Michael began working with the Tuohy family and giving back to the community after his NFL career ended in 2007.
He has also worked with the nonprofit Beat the Odds, which helps children from low-income households accomplish their dreams.
The Chain Of Michael Oher Siblings
Michael has 11 siblings from his biological and two named Sean and Collins from his adoptive family.
Among those 11, the names of eight of them are publicly available.
His siblings' names are Marcus Oher, Andre Oher, John Oher, Carlos Oher, Denise Oher, Rico Oher, Tara Oher, and Delijuan Oher.
Most of his brothers and sisters have moved on, started their own families, and are married with kids.
Furthermore, an image of Michael and his half-brother Marcus posing for a photo was shared on Marcus' Facebook page in 2018.
His social media handle is named after Marcus Watkins, and the bio highlights that he works as a co-manager at Lil Cesars (Pizza Pizza).
Likewise, Michael's only biological sister, Denise works at FedEx. She was named after her mother.
Although she is active on Facebook, there are no images of her. However, her friend list prominently features her brothers Marcus and Andre.
Michael Is Close To Sean Tuohy Jr
Oher adoptive brother Sean Tuohy Jr. is an associate athletic director at the University of Central Florida.
The youngest of the Tuohy family earned his bachelor's degree in communication with a specialization in journalism and marketing from Loyola University Maryland. During his undergraduate year, he lettered as a basketball team member.
After he graduated from Loyola, Sean's other academic life led him to Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He earned his master's degree in humanistic studies and also played football.
His LinkedIn page highlights his coaching experience, which began in 2017 as an assistant football coach at SMU Football.
Aside from his athletic and academic careers, Touhy is an avid reader and pianist. Sean is also passionate about writing and has worked with several online publications.
Sister Collins Tuohy Is A Journalist
Collins met her adoptive brother Michael in the hallways of Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis.
The brother and sister share close ties; when Collin became Briarcrest Homecoming Queen, Michael was the one who escorted her.
Besides, she completed her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Mississippi and was an exceptional and influential role model on campus.
Collins is now a co-owner and the director of marketing and sales at the Whimsy Cookie Company, which specializes in decorative sugar cookies made to order.
Further, her Instagram page illustrates her personal life with her husband, Cannon Smith. The couple got married on April 22, 2016.
Michael Oher Family Tree
Oher spent his childhood with his 11 brothers and sisters and his biological mom and dad, who weren’t that active in their upbringing.
The Blind Side real family story includes his birth mom and dad. His maternal grandparents are named Virginia and Stanley Roberts
Likewise, Sean Touhy was born in a catholic family to Mida and Edward ‘Skeets’ Touhy. Sean is of Irish descent.
Does Michael Oher Still Talk To The Tuohys?
Michael shares close ties with the Tuohy family. However, recent years have been a rollercoaster in their relationship.
Their estranged relationship details were out in the media when Michael unfollowed his brother and mother on Instagram. There are no images that feature the Tuohy family.
On the other hand, Leigh Anne's Instagram page still highlights the family picture she shares with Michael. Their most recent image was posted in 2021, a throwback image of the Touhys with Michael at the stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Similarly, in 2020, on Mother's Day, Anne shared an image with her two boys and captioned it with a lengthy text where she explained the meaning of the word "mother."
Well, many speculated that the reason behind the estranged relationship might have been due to the movie "The Blind Side."
The Tuohys were not invited to attend Michael Oher's wedding ceremony to Tiffany Roy in 2022.
Although Michael has unfollowed Leigh on Instagram, she still follows her son and is trying to maintain a good relationship with him.
