The Blind Side

The Blind Side is a warm hearted story that would touch the lives of anyone who read it. The Blind Side is about a African American teenager named Michael Oher who is homeless and doesn't have anywhere to go. Micheal Oher spent his childhood and early teenage years in North Memphis where gangs, drugs, and crime infested the streets. His mother is a crack-addict and his father was murdered. He was 1 of 12 children and he really didnt know any of his family. He was a very shy kid and kept to himself for the most part. At age 15 Michael was a very large kid. He was 6'2" and weighed 350 pounds. He quickly earned th name "Big Mike." He was a very gifted athelete and could just about play anything that involved a ball. Even with his gifts Michael struggled with school. He attented 11 different schools in 9 years and had a gpa of .06. Tony Henderson was head of the youth athletic center in North Memphis and would often see Michael there. He quickly realized Michael talent and wanted to do something about it. He would let Micheal stay with him. Tony also had a son that was Micheal's age. Tony wanted his son to go to a christian school and decided to take him as well as Big Mike up to Briarcrest Christian High school to be enrolled. The coach at the school is reluctant at first but see's Big Mike's potential and convinces the principal to enroll him. Big Mike was enrolled his sophomore year and still was homeless. He would stay with different people at school but nothing was permanent. One day Mike was walking on the street and the Tuohy family would pull over ask him where he was head to. Obviously Mike had no where to go so the Tuohy family invited him to stay at their home. The Tuohy's were a very wealthy family due to the father Sean Tuohy was a successful business owner. Mike would stay for that night and that one night turned into many nights. The Tuohy family consist of a mother named Leigh Anne,Sean (father), Collins (daughter),and Sean jr. (son). Collins is in the same grade as Mike. Eventually Mike would stay with the Tuohy's permanantly. He would form a bonding with the Tuohy's that could never be broken. Now since he was apart of the family the Tuohy's wanted help Mike in any possibe way they could. Leigh Anne did most of the helping, she noticed Michael's struggle in school so she hired a private tutor for him. With his grades improving jurastically he was now eligible to play footbal his junior year. Michael Oher had no football background at all so this was all a new experience for him. The coach placed him at defensive tackle but he learned that Michael was not aggressive so he placed him at offensive tackle. Michael quickly learned the position and was an instant success. The Tuohy's phone was ringing off the hook with college coaches trying to recruit Michael. He had offers from every major football school in the U.S. After a successful senior year and becoming a high school football All-American Michael decided to attend Ole Miss. Sean Tuohy had also attened Ole Miss as a successful basketball player. It was great suspicion that the Tuohy family forced him to go there but that was not true. He was an All-American at Ole Miss too. Mike entered the 2009 NFL draft and was selected 23rd overall by the Baltimore Ravens.