Items of Interest April 11, 2011 Issue

Athlete who inspired The Blind Side shares his message of hope

Lynn Horsley

Michael Oher made the seemingly unbelievable journey from homelessness to star offensive tackle with the Baltimore Ravens. And he has a simple message for other inner-city kids who dream big dreams: If he could do it, they can too.

Oher discussed his inspiring life story in front of 1,700 people who gathered Wednesday [March 2] for the 50th annual Mayors’ Prayer Breakfast in the Bartle Hall Grand Ballroom [in Kansas City, Missouri]. It was the largest gathering in the event’s history and featured 39 mayors from the region, along with a large contingent of youth. The prayer breakfast’s mission is to emphasize morality, ethics, and spirituality in business, labor, professions, and government.

Oher’s message fit that theme. He told the audience that as he was battling hunger, moving from place to place and finding no positive role models around him, he somehow stayed positive and determined to break out of the Memphis ghetto. He kept telling himself, “It can’t get any worse; it has to get better.”

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