Michael Oher

Oher player and book (http://www.rainydaybooks.com/MichaelOher ())

Michael Oher is not just an NFL player; he is a hero due to all the difficult obstacles he overcame. Who would have known that a boy, Michael Oher, could go from living in the ghetto and having to care for himself and siblings, to becoming a professional football player with a college education. Michael Oher is an NFL player who went from a life of poverty and his drug addicted mother who was never around for support and care; to being a successful young man who chased after his dreams (Tale of Football...). After experiencing a rough childhood Michael was fortunate enough to be taken in by a wonderful family known as the Touhys. (Rickards) A highly wealthy and Christian family, the Touhy family, adopted Michael and helped him beat the odds and succeed in life (Michael Oher). Although Michael had a rough childhood, he never let his past get in the way of his success. From being considered a charity case, to becoming a professional athlete, makes Michael Oher highly inspirational. The way Michael Oher shows the way he overcame the obstacles of poverty, his brave and courageous drive to prove people wrong, and how he was always grateful and honorable toward the families who changed his life truly shows the characteristics that a real hero would possess.

           Michael Oher's ability to overcome the hardships of poverty is a trait that I consider very heroic. Michael's childhood was not easy; it consisted of him taking care of himself all the way up to his junior year in high school. "Poverty, foster care, spotty school attendance, living in an unsafe environment with a frequently absent mother -- there are a lot of reasons why, statistically speaking, the odds were not with young Michael " (Holmes). Michael was faced with troubles during his childhood not having a father, and a drug addicted mother that was never there. CPS (child protective services) took Michael and his siblings away forcing them in and out of foster homes throughout their life. Even though the odds of success were not always on Michael's side, he did not allow himself to go in the wrong direction, following in his mother's footsteps in taking drugs and making bad choices. The life for Michael without a father figure or basically a mother due to her absences, was very challenging for him the other kids learn to help themselves and lean on each other. "Ms. Spivey and the DCS people were waiting, and they walked Carlos and me out to the big car that was waiting for us. Grown-ups always got their way. We just had to do with whatever decisions were made for us" (Michael Oher). The daily routine of Michael and his siblings living alone became quite frequent. They all knew that eventually the day would come when CPS would take them away from each other; therefore, they prepared themselves. The day they all saw the suited workers outside their front door they knew what was about to happen. The siblings were taken and separated from each other by CPS and all ended up going to different foster homes. The rough childhood Michael and his siblings had to endure is truly inspirational. They learned to take care of each other and live without their drug addicted mother. Although they ended up separated in different homes, they continued caring for each other. Being separated from your siblings would definitely be depressing; however, if was for their own safety allowing them to live a better life.

Oher in uniform (http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/tag/_/name/julius-peppers ())

         Michael's brave and courageous drive to prove people wrong and succeed in his life makes me respect him as a true hero. Michael's hard work in school and sports was not just natural; he had to work hard in order to reach his success and prove people wrong! "He tells it is just how many things have to happen for those odds to be overcome. Of course, it begins with Oher himself, and an impressive determination to not repeat his mother's life. (Interestingly, he says he believed from a young age that sports would be his exit strategy, though he originally thought it would be basketball)" (Holmes). Ever since his start as a kid, Michael never wanted to end up like his unsuccessful mother. All his life he had the vision of being successful. Michael, however, knew he was not the smartest kid when it came to school; therefore, his dreams were all about sports! He relied on sports to lead him to greatness and at this time he thought it would be for basketball, not football. Michael had plenty of opportunities that most kids like him would not have and he always took advantage of them and worked hard. "It seemed like there was a great opportunity for me to get a better education and to have access to better sports programs, and I was determined to jump on it" (Michael Oher). Tony, the adult whom Michael was staying with at the time of high school, before the Touhys, strongly wanted to find some private schools for Michael and his son to attend. Tony would tell Michael "I can get you into a well educated school, but from there on the effort depends on you" (Michael Oher).  Yes, Tony was correct and Michael did not take this opportunity for granted. Michael never let an opportunity slip away from him. He was grateful to what was in front of him and never let his fate get in the way of his dreams!

        Most kids in the same situation as Michael did not end up as lucky as he did; Michael ended up with the Touhys who could not have helped him anymore than they did and Michael was forever grateful to them. The Touhys took many actions to make sure that Michael had the best education and he would excel in sports. "That's the family that brought him to Briarcrest, the private school where he met the Tuohys. Then Briarcrest accepted him and a variety of school families took him in for a few nights here and there; however, the Tuohys took him in permanently, he got a private tutor who was utterly devoted to him, he took correspondence courses to bring his grades up..." (Holmes). Michael was fortunate to have such a lovely Christian, and caring family that took him in. The Touhys were not just highly wealthy; they wanted the best for Michael. Leigh Anne and Sean Touhy always treated Michael like one of their own and helped him through his life. Families, especially the Touhys, were not just respectful toward Michael; he was always grateful and appreciative for what he had been given. "I just tried to do my best, was respectful of the house where I was staying, and presented the best face I could. I was starting to see God at work around me; I had a need, it was met. That's pretty powerful" (Michael Oher). Michael stayed with plenty of other families before the Touhys just not for a long period of time. He was used to adjusting and being polite. He would always show gratitude toward the families for no matter what they did. Michael's personality in being respectful and grateful to the Touhys absolutely shows the traits he has that allow him to be looked at as a hero.

            Overcoming the difficulties of poverty, showing bravery to prove people wrong about himself, and presenting respect and gratitude toward the families who changed Michael's life shows how he is a true inspirational hero. Through Michael's heartfelt story of his life, he inspires people all over the world believing anything can happen no matter where one person may start from and where their journey may end. In my eyes a hero is someone who has overcome obstacles and has shown a great amount of courage while doing so. Michael grew up without a role model to look up to and to care for him. People in the world are judgmental. Michael attending an all white Christian high school showed how strong and courageous he was (Rickards). He constantly would be judged quickly due to his color skin and height, but this did not stop him from continuing to be the kind and caring gentlemen he was (Michael Oher). "To succeed, you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you" (Tony Dorsett). The Touhys were not just the family that helped Michael to succeed; they were who he held onto. Michael knew how not to act; all throughout his life he motivated himself to not act like his drug addicted mother, Denise. Denise inspired Michael..... She inspired him to live his life. Michael took action in that. Michael is not just a hero because of where he is now; he is a hero due to the journey he took while getting there. This is what a true hero should be; not just about whom they are but what they are made of.

   Works Cited

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"How family saw him through." Washington Times [Washington, DC] 4 Mar. 2011: B07. Gale

Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 1 May 2012.

McNiff, Eamon. "Michael Oher's NFL Dream Fullfilled." ABC News. ABC News Network, 23

Dec. 2009. Web. 17 May 2012. http://abcnews.go.com/2020/BlindSide/michael-ohers-nfl-blind-side-success-story/story?id=9408525.

"Michael Oher Appears for I Beat The Odds: From Homelessness, To The Blind Side, And

Beyond." Rainy Day Books. 2 Mar. 2011. Web. 17 May 2012. .

Michael Oher with Don Yaeger. I Beat the Odds. New York. Penguin Group Inc., February

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Rickards, Bill. "Michael Oher." Michael Oher (2010): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 1

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"Tale of Football Find a Heart warmer." Student Resource Center. Detroit: Gale, 2009. Student

Resource Center - Junior. Gale. DEL NORTE HIGH SCHOOL. 1 May. 2012

Walker, James. ""Seven-step Drop"" Espn. Web. 17 May 2012.