From the Streets of Memphis to the NFL

(CBS)  This story begins on the cold lonely streets of West Memphis, and ends in this suburban mansion on the affluent side of town - but what happens in between is a story made for Hollywood.

With a drug addicted mom and a dad he'd never met, a homeless 16-year old Michael Oher was struggling to stay in school. He had a 0.6 grade point average, but a strong will to make something of himself, reports CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller.

Then came a brisk November day in 2002 when the shy teenager met the woman he'd eventually call Mom.

"It wasn't just a fluke that Michael was on this street the minute we were driving down it," said Leigh Anne Tuohy. "That's just fate."

In the new movie, "The Blind Side," Sandra Bullock plays Leigh Anne Tuohy, the tough no-nonsense mother of two who took Michael Oher under her wing. From that day on Michael became part of the Tuohy family.

"I was probably like a drill sergeant," Tuohy said. "He'd been passed on from grade to grade with zero foundation."

"He was the most obvious success waiting to happen," said Sean Tuohy. "And it wasn't going to happen."

So the Tuohys opened their home, found a tutor, and Michael began to tackle the obstacles towards graduation. The 6-foot-4 300-pounder also began to tackle the gridiron.

"You very seldom see it in the game of football - a kid that size that can stay on his feet while he plays," said Hugh Freeze, Oher's high school coach.

But his coach says sometimes Oher struggled with the plays themselves.

Once he got it, Oher became the most sought after offensive lineman in the nation. He graduated with a 2.65 GPA and Ole Miss, his parents' alma mater, beat out a host of SEC schools for the talented left tackle. In the spring of this year, he because a first round draft pick.

"His dream was to be an NFL player and he worked so hard for it," Leigh Anne Tuohy said.

Oher made it to the pros. After signing a $13 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens, the 16-year-old survivor, the kid who could barely talk to strangers, has taken his can-do spirit to the NFL.

"Every day it's a dream come true," Oher said.

And every day Michael is thankful the Tuohy's took a chance on him.

"I love them to death," Oher said. "Without them I would not be where I am."

[webmonkeydc]

For more on how practicing what we preach can change a life, check out this post: http://richardtgarner.blogspot.com/2009/12/renewing-stars-faith.html

[pkrains]

This story brought chills and tears! Thank you for sharing such an inspirational and life-transforming story. Please find more of these, so people in our nation will be enCOURAGEd to always try to see the GOOD in others.

[jimmyc1955]

The measure of a human is when we are shown a chance a chance to make a difference, put right in front of us - will we? Do we have the courage to step up, take the risk, suffer the consequences and do what is right for another with no gain for yourself?

The Touhys' did. If Michael had never gone to college, never become an NFL player the act of generosity and love shown by the Touhys would not be any less.

I suspect this story is not unique. I would wager that this happens a lot more but since news chooses to use fear to sell stories like the Oher/Touhy don't get told - not often enough. We should hear these more, the stories about unselfish kindness and a generous love that change lives. It would inspire so many more people.

But we will get headlines of murder, rape, incest, distruction and dismay and so our media teaches fear, uncertainty, doubt and distrust. Rather than reach out, we pull back.

It is unfortunate - no - it is diminishing.