THE BLIND SIDE’s Tuohy Family to End Michael Oher’s Conservatorship
By Movieguide® Contributor
THE BLIND SIDE inspirations Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy announced their plans to end their conservatorship of former NFL star Michael Oher.
“If that’s what [Oher] wants to do, is terminate it, then we’re more than glad to do so,” the couple’s lawyer, Randall Fishman, said.
Another one of the Tuohy family’s attorneys, Steve Farese, added, “They don’t need his money. They never needed his money.”
Oher recently filed a lawsuit seeking to end the conservatorship. He claims the family misled him into thinking they were adopting him and that they earned millions off his name and likeness.
Movieguide® previously reported on the situation:
Tuohy said the family was “devastated” by Oher’s allegations, adding, “It’s upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children, but we’re going to love Michael at 37 just like we loved him at 16.”
The Tuohys took Oher in when he was in high school, but the former NFL star recently stated that they misled him — instead of adopting him, the couple placed him in a conservatorship…
Oher and the Tuohy family’s story was dramatized in THE BLIND SIDE. Oher claims the family made a deal with 20th Century Fox that cut him out completely from making any money. His petition states that he made no money from the movie, while the Tuohys were paid $225,000 and 2.5% of the film’s net proceeds.
However, Sean refutes these claims.
“Everybody in the family got an equal share, including Michael. It was about $14,000, each,” he explained. “We were never offered money; we never asked for money. I will say it’s upsetting that people would think I would want to make money off any of my children.”
The Tuohys have refuted these allegations, saying they were told they couldn’t adopt Oher as he was 18 years old at the time. The couple also claim they have not made money off their relationship with Oher.
“It’s upsetting that people would think I would want to make money off any of my children,” Sean told The Daily Memphian. “We were never offered money; we never asked for money. My financial history is meticulously documented; you can verify how much my company was sold for.”
Marty Singer, another attorney for the Tuohy family, called Oher’s suit “hurtful and absurd,” adding, “The Tuohys will always care deeply for Mr. Oher. They are heartbroken over these events. They desperately hope that he comes to regret his recent decisions, makes different choices in the future and that they someday can be reconciled with him.”
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