Retired NFL star Michael Oher, who was the subject of “The Blind Side,” is now admitting that much of the story surrounding his supposed adopted parents is untrue.
On Monday, Oher filed court documents in Shelby County, Tennessee, claiming his “adoptive” parents, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, actually fooled him into signing a conservatorship that allowed them to make personal and business decisions about his life. However, he was under the impression that this document made him a Tuohy. Oher said this is how the couple was able to ink a movie deal that brought them riches while Oher was left penniless from “The Blind Side,” which earned over $300 million. Mrs. Tuohy still benefits from the film, working as a motivational speaker.
“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 court filing stated, which was obtained by ESPN. Additionally, the filing said that Oher did not learn the truth until February of this year, discovering that he is not legally related to the family in any way.
It appears that Oher had always been under the impression that conservatorship was the same thing as adoption. After a rough upbringing, the couple took him in as a high school student. However, considering that he signed the documents months after his 18th birthday, the Tuohys told him since he was of legal age, he’d need to sign the conservatorship documents to become a member of the family. He’d written of the Tuohys explanation in his 2011 best-selling memoir “I Beat the Odds.”
In addition to having the court end the conservatorship, Oher wants to view the accounting of all money the Tuohys made over the years while using his story. He is seeking a share of those profits as well as an injunction barring the couple from using his name and likeness moving forward.
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