Michael Oher, featured in “The Blind Side,” speaks out about lawsuit involving the Tuohy family
Oher’s relationship with the Tuohy family has become more strained due to the assertion that he was adopted even though no formal adoption ever took place. Oher was placed under a conservatorship despite not having any disabilities, and the Tuohys referred to him as their “adopted son,” as cited in the lawsuit.
In an affidavit obtained by The New York Times during the ongoing legal case, Leigh Anne explained that her use of the term “adopted” was meant colloquially to convey the family bond they felt with Oher, not as a legal term.
Oher’s attorney, Anne Johnson, responded to Leigh Anne’s statement by telling the NYT, “Adoption is not a casual term and holds legal significance. When Oher was 18, he believed he had been truly welcomed into the family, which turned out to be untrue.”
The conservatorship was ended in September 2023 as part of the ongoing lawsuit, with the judge expressing disbelief that it had been put in place in the first place.
Oher also discussed the impact that the Tuohys had on his emotional well-being while growing up in an unstable environment.
“The first time I felt loved was when Sean and Leigh Anne expressed it,” he shared with the NYT. “Hearing that at 18 made me vulnerable. I let my defenses down, only to have everything taken away, leaving me feeling hurt.”