Former Rebel Michael Oher Alleges Adoption By Tuohy Family 'A Lie'
The Michael Oher story is one that has lived on through Ole Miss Rebels lore and the football world for years, thanks in large part to the movie The Blind Side.
But, could the story have been presented in a false light? That's what Oher is claiming as reported by ESPN on Monday.
According to the story, Oher "petitioned a Tennessee court Monday with allegations that a central element of the story was a lie concocted by the family to enrich themselves at his expense," namely, his adoption. Oher claims that the adoption never took place, instead stating that Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy "tricked him" into signing a document that made them his conservators, giving them the legal authority to conduct business deals in his name.
The alleged result? The Tuohys and their two birth children received money from the $300 million made by the Oscar-winning film while Oher himself received nothing. Here is a statement from the legal filing in the Shelby County, Tennessee, probate court.
"The lie of Michael's adoption is one upon which Co-Conservators Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy have enriched themselves at the expense of their Ward, the undersigned Michael Oher," the legal filing says. "Michael Oher discovered this lie to his chagrin and embarrassment in February of 2023, when he learned that the Conservatorship to which he consented on the basis that doing so would make him a member of the Tuohy family, in fact provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys."
The petition asks the court to end the Tuohys' conservatorship and create an injunction that prevents the family from utilizing his name and likeness. It also seeks financial reimbursement from the money that Oher never received from the film.
Oher played at Ole Miss from 2005-08 and was drafted in 2009 in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens. He went on to play in the NFL until 2016, suiting up for the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers after his days in Baltimore.
You can follow John Macon on Twitter at @JMakeGillespie.
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