“The Blind Side” depicted Sean Tuohy as a highly successful businessman who owned and operated several fast-food chain restaurants. This is true, but he had to work hard to get there. According to the Making It Happen Foundation, Sean grew up poor. He struggled as he attended a rich private school, and would often use his athleticism in various sports to help him get by. Because Sean knew the struggles of not having a lot of money, he often held a soft spot for kids who faced the same trials and tribulations he did.
In an interview with Identity Theory, Michael Lewis, author of the book “The Blind Side,” explained that the Tuohy’s had helped several other African American children before Oher. Sean, specifically, would ensure these kids were on the right track and help them out. Lewis shared, “And Sean, because he had the experience of being the poor kid in the rich school when he was growing up, had made a point of seeking them out and seeing if they needed anything.”
Read Related Also: Black Poverty Skyrockets Under Joe Biden
Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy had often helped kids out, so what made Oher’s situation different? Well, Lewis revealed it was because Oher had nothing to fall back on. The author shared, “Michael was unusual in that he was so exceptionally needy. The other kids needed help — maybe needed Sean to buy them lunch or something, but they didn’t need the total infrastructure.”
