Leigh Anne Tuohy

Leigh Anne Tuohy (née Roberts; born August 9, 1960)[1] is an American interior designer. She is best known for being the legal guardian of Michael Oher. Their story was featured in Michael Lewis' 2006 book, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, and its 2009 feature film adaptation The Blind Side. In the film, Tuohy was portrayed by actress Sandra Bullock, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the performance.

Early life

She was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of Virginia (née Cummings) and Stanley Roberts, a U.S. air marshal. She has one brother, Stanford Roberts. Growing up, she was close to her maternal grandmother, Virginia "Virgie" (Collins) Cummings, who lived with her family.[2][3] She graduated from Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, Tennessee. In the early 1980s, she graduated from University of Mississippi, where she became a member of the Kappa Delta sorority, was a cheerleader,[4] and met her future husband, Sean Tuohy, a basketball player for the Ole Miss Rebels.[5]

Career

Tuohy and her husband own more than 85 fast food franchises, including those of Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, and Long John Silver's.[6]

Tuohy is also an interior designer. In 2010, she was named one of three new design team members for ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.[7]

Tuohy and her husband are also the co-authors of the book In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving, which was released in 2010.[8]

Personal life

Tuohy married her husband Sean Tuohy in 1982. They have three children. Their son Michael Oher (adopted) is a former Ole Miss Rebels football player, a Baltimore Ravens first-round draft selection, and the current starting offensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers.[9][10] Their daughter Collins Tuohy (born December 1986) was a state champion pole vaulter and a cheerleader at the University of Mississippi. Their son Sean "SJ" Tuohy, Jr. (born July 1993) currently plays guard for the Loyola Greyhounds.[11] Tuohy and her husband live in Memphis, Tennessee.

Tuohy gave the commencement address at Christian Brothers University on May 14, 2010. She also received an honorary degree from the university during its commencement ceremony for her commitment to the less fortunate and her ongoing quest to recruit others to make a difference.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "THE BLIND SIDE (2009)". historyvshollywood.com. December 11, 2013.
  2. ↑ Tuohy, Leigh ann (2010). In a Hearbeat:Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving. Macmillan. ISBN 9780312577186.
  3. ↑ de Bertodano, Helena (2010-03-05). "Oscars 2010: Leigh Anne Tuohy interview". London: The Telegraph. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
  4. ↑ http://sports.rightpundits.com/?p=3714
  5. ↑ Lewis, Michael (2007). The Blind Side. New York, N.Y.: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. p. 62. ISBN 978-0-393-33047-2.
  6. ↑ Ashby, Andy (2007-07-01). "RGT Management plans to aggressively grow new chain in its portfolio". Memphis Business Journal. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  7. ↑ "ABC Medianet". ABC Medianet. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  8. ↑ "'In a Heartbeat' highlights the bright side of the Tuohys". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  9. ↑ Lewis, Michael (September 24, 2006), "The Ballad of Big Mike", New York Times Magazine
  10. ↑ "People | Depth Chart". Baltimore Ravens. Retrieved 2010-11-13.
  11. ↑ Meet the Grizzlies Broadcast Team at NBA.com. Retrieved August 23, 2009.
  12. ↑ "Leigh Anne Tuohy to Deliver CBU Commencement Address". CBU.edu. 2010-04-08. Retrieved 2010-07-02.

External links

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