MICHAEL OHER: A TROUBLED CHILDHOOD



MICHAEL OHER: A TROUBLED CHILDHOOD

Introduction

Athletes and sports can have a direct relationship between Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). In so many cases athletes are affected by the symptoms of RAD. These cases can either give an athlete an advantage or disadvantage. In almost all cases it’s a disadvantage. There are a few times where there is an exception to this law. Michael Oher is one. In this paper you will find out background information on Michael Oher, complications, evaluations, resolutions, and a conclusion. All of these will contribute to show you how one athlete defied all rules and led him to a successful life.

Background Information

Michael Oher was born from his parents Michael Williams and Denise Oher in 1986 (Michael Oher Biography). Denise provided the children with little to no support. Michael Oher’s dad was frequently in prison and his mom was addicted to cocaine (MOB). With parent figures like that it’s hard to grow up a good life. Oher was in-and-out of foster homes and was often homeless. He attended eleven different schools during his first nine years of school. He also struggled and did poorly in school. When Oher reached the age of 16 he was taken in by his new legal guardians Sean and Leigh Ann Tuohy (MOB). In Oher’s junior year he started to dominate in high school football. In his senior year he was starting left tackle on the varsity team (Garykmcd). He became a top prospect in the state of Tennessee and Nationwide. Every top college was trying to recruit him. Oher became a breakout athlete in college and was eventually drafted in the NFL. In the 2009 NFL Draft, Oher was selected 23rd by the Baltimore Ravens (MOB). He started all 16 games for the Ravens and helped them reach the playoffs. The story of his hard childhood into a football star was written into a book by Michael Lewis. The book was titled The Blind Side which was turned into a movie in 2009. It starred Sandra Bullock, and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Motion Picture of the Year.

Complication

As mentioned earlier Michael Oher had a very rough that went through many different schools, suffered from grades, had no figure to look up to, had many foster homes, went through foster homes, and was often homeless. That is a very hard life for a young child to go through. A lot of his early life was spent in the hoods of Tennessee. There he was filled with a lot of bad influences and examples. In some cities it’s as high as 70 percent of teens that die from gang related incidents (BLR Student Life). In 2002 nearly three quarters of homicide death were gang related. There was high gang activity where Oher was living during his homeless eras. During his child hood deaths among teens were pretty high. He was very lucky many of the people around him liked and supported him. The complications Oher went through left many scars on him. It’s stated that 50-80 percent of adopted or foster children suffer from Reactive Attachment Disorder (Vivo). Percentages say that Oher more than likely suffered from this disorder. From life examples from the movie and book you can tell that Oher definitely suffers from the symptoms of RAD. This disorder played a big impact in Oher’s life. He was affected by the disorder, but he was a rare exception that used it to his strengths. He overcame his weakness and made it into his strength.

Evaluation

Let’s now look at the symptoms of RAD and compare them to Oher’s life. We will connect the symptoms to his life examples. Numerous times in the movie he runs away from his new family that adopted him in. This fits with the symptom that he is unable to build trust or relationship. He doesn’t trust his new family so he runs to where he feels safe. He also can’t trust any teachers or tutors that try to help him. Oher also would get fired up easily and had a high tolerance to pain (Vivo). Those symptoms of RAD were more beneficiary to him though. Avoiding eye contact and not smiling were also symptoms that he had. All of these traits were healed over time as he grew up. Football seemed almost as a cure for him and made him fit in. He figured out a way to channel the effects of RAD in a positive way which was football. There was one great example from the move that showed a way that Oher channeled his emotions into football. This example was when he was playing in a high school game and other kids kept making fun of him. The first of his high school career he would freak out and be unable to cope with adversity (RAD symptom), but this time he channeled his anger and made the block of his life. This block set up his career because it was so amazing. Coaches were all over him after it occurred. You could see the growth and progress during his life time in the movie. In his early childhood he suffered greatly, but with the help of his new family he overcame his symptoms and used them for good.

Resolution

Michael Oher is a special case when it comes to troubled childhoods turning into a football star. Oher used some of his symptoms for good. Sports and family were the biggest help he received sfrom the scars he received as a child. He also had other supporters in his life which included coaches, fans, and friends. All of his support overruled the trials he went through as a child which led to the success of his career. Oher was a great person and athlete himself. If it wasn’t for his perseverance and hard work he wouldn’t be where he is either.

Conclusion

Michael Oher is an extraordinary athlete that had a very troublesome early life. He was homeless or a foster child most of his life (The Blind Side). He had to change schools multiple times. It was very evident that from life examples and the percentages that Oher suffers from the disorder RAD. Sports and his supporters helped him through his cure of this disorder. Oher was a very special case that overcame his problems and used the symptoms to his advantage. Michael Oher is currently playing for the Baltimore Ravens and sets a great example for many other troubled children.

Works Cited

The Blind Side. Dir. John Lee Hancock. Perf. Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw. Alcon Entertainment, 2009. DVD.

BLR Student Life. "Teens and Gangs." Hope Family Services, Inc - Home. Web. 18 July 2011. .

Garykmcd. "The Blind Side (2009) - IMDb." The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Web. 18 July 2011. .

"Michael Oher Biography." . A&E Television Network. Web. 18 July 2011. .

Vivo, Meghan. "About Reactive Attachment Disorder." Adoption Issues - Adoption Information Resource Center Support Services. Web. 18 July 2011. .

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Above left is the book for The Blind Side, and Right the movie

Left is graph on teen deaths through years 1970-2007

Left is graph on gang related deaths on teens. 70 % are gang related.

[pic]

Above in green is Michael Oher in High School

Above Michael Oher during the NFL draft

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