Michael Oher Files To Terminate Conservatorship With 'Blind Side' Parents, Claims He Was NEVER Adopted
By Favour Adegoke on August 14, 2023 at 7:45 PM EDT
Retired NFL star Michael Oher has filed a petition in a Tennessee court, alleging the people who claim to be his adoptive parents fabricated the adoption for their financial gain. Oher's story inspired the Oscar award-winning movie, "The Blind Side."
The court document asserts the Tuohy family gained conservatorship over Oher after he turned 18, giving them control over his business affairs. Oher claims the family profited from the film while he received nothing.
The petition seeks to end the conservatorship, prevent unauthorized use of his identity, and demand financial accountability, equitable distribution of profits, and compensation for damages. Oher's initial belief that conservatorship equated to adoption is also highlighted.
Keep on reading to learn more.
Michael Oher Reveals His Adoption Was A 'Lie'
Michael Oher, a retired NFL star known as the inspiration for the movie "The Blind Side," has submitted a petition to a Tennessee court, claiming that a crucial aspect of the story depicted in the film was fabricated by Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy, the family that "adopted" him.
In the 14-page petition, via ESPN, Oher asserts that the Tuohy family, portrayed as his adoptive family in the film, actually fabricated the adoption story for their financial benefit. The court documents reveal that the family did not formally adopt Oher but maneuvered to become his conservators once he turned 18, granting them authority over his business affairs.
The petition claims the Tuohys profited greatly from the film's success, receiving millions of dollars in royalties, while Oher received nothing.
The Tuohy's 'Enriched Themselves' At His Expense
"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 petition contends.
"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 provided him no familial relationship with the Tuohys."
The legal filing seeks to terminate the conservatorship, prevent the unauthorized use of Oher's identity, demand an accurate financial account of earnings the Tuohys made using Oher's name, distribute equitable profits, and request compensation for damages.
"Since at least August of 2004, Conservators have allowed Michael, specifically, and the public, generally, to believe that Conservators adopted Michael and have used that untruth to gain financial advantages for themselves and the foundations which they own or which they exercise control," the petition asserts, per ESPN.
"All monies made in the said manner should in all conscience and equity be disgorged and paid over to the said ward, Michael Oher."
Michael Oher Was Made To 'Give Away' His Story
Oher signed conservatorship papers during his final year in high school, guided by the Tuohys' belief that it was akin to adoption. His 2011 memoir, "I Beat the Odds," highlights this perspective, describing how they equated the two. "They explained to me that it means pretty much the exact same thing as 'adoptive parents,' but that the laws were just written in a way that took my age into account," he revealed.
However, legally, adoption would have granted Oher family membership and financial control. Instead, under conservatorship, he relinquished his financial authority despite being an adult with no known physical or psychological disabilities.
The petition contends that after the release of "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game" in 2006, the Tuohys began movie negotiations. The successful film earned them substantial income, while Oher's separate 2007 contract appears to have "given away" his story's rights for no compensation. The filing states Oher's lack of recollection and understanding of the contract's implications.
The Tuohys Denied Receiving Royalties From The Film
In the past, the Tuohys have denied making much money from the movie, saying they received a flat fee for the story and did not reap any of the movie's profits. And what they did earn, they added, was shared with Oher. "We divided it five ways," the Tuohys mentioned in their 2010 book, "In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving."
Oher's legal filing indicates he never received any compensation from the movie, although he had suspicions of others benefiting. His attorney, J. Gerard Stranch IV, explained that Oher's inquiries were met with evasive responses.
As the film coincided with his busy NFL career from 2009 onward, Oher only thoroughly scrutinized the deal after retiring in 2016. He enlisted a lawyer who helped uncover the movie deal and the truth about his legal status with the Tuohys. In February, the conservatorship document revealed the reality that the Tuohys had not adopted him.
