Sean Tuohy and Leigh Anne Tuohy will no longer reference Michael Oher being their adopted son in official language after he sued them for allegedly tricking him into becoming his conservator. The couple’s lawyer, Randy Fishman, told a judge in Memphis, Tennessee on November 29 that the Tuohys will remove any mentions of adopting Michael, 37, from their websites and public speaking materials, according to the Associated Press. Shelby County Probate Judge Kathleen Gomes reportedly said the Tuohys made the “correct” decision since they never legally adopted the former NFL star.
In a court filing, the Tuohys acknowledged that their websites refer to Michael as their adopted son, per the AP. However, they claimed that they used that term “in the colloquial sense and they have never intended that reference to be viewed with legal implication.” The couple further said that while they loved Michael “like a son” and gave him a great life when he lived with them, they denied ever saying they planned to legally adopt him.
On August 14, Michael filed a lawsuit claiming that the Tuohys led him to believe they adopted him and that he didn’t find out about the conservatorship until February 2023. The 2004 conservatorship put the Tuohys in charge of Michael’s financial decisions, even though he had “no known physical or psychological disabilities,” Michael’s lawsuit claimed.
After filing his legal petition, the former Baltimore Ravens player gave a statement to The New York Post. “I am disheartened by the revelation shared in the lawsuit today,” he said. “This is a difficult situation for my family and me. I want to ask everyone to please respect our privacy at this time. For now, I will let the lawsuit speak for itself and will offer no further comment.”
The Tuohys responded to Michael’s lawsuit and claimed they were “devastated” over the situation. “It’s upsetting to think we would make money off any of our children,” Sean told The Daily Memphian. “But we’re going to love Michael at 37 just like we loved him at 16,” he said. The couple later disclosed through their lawyers that they would be ending the conservatorship for Michael.
Michael‘s life story inspired the Oscar-winning 2009 movie The Blind Side, starring Sandra Bullock, Quinton Aaron, and Tim McGraw. In a more recent legal filing, Michael’s lawyers demanded the Tuohys reveal how much money they’ve made off Michael since the release of the film. Michael claimed that Sean, Leigh Anne, and their two children made $250,000 from the movie, plus an additional 2.5% in residuals, while he made nothing.