Thursday, November 30, 2006

Michael Oher

Please take time to read this NYT story. Michael grew up in downtown Memphis in Hurt Village--the neighborhood I now live in.

Excerpt:
Simpson and o��d�E*I���C-��({Y��&��*u�"�[
`Y�uy@ޠ�hfd����^�m�ϔQp�chael’s father had been shot and killed and tossed off a bridge, that his mother was addicted to crack cocaine and that his life experience was so narrow that he might as well have spent his first 16 years inside a closet. And yet here was his application, in the summer of 2002, courtesy of the Briarcrest football coD��h�; ~ub� �bt�Lgݪ��T��O�l�~y� "(�|;�oR Y�Yż,J���E��ory: Big Mike, as he was called, was essentially homeless and so had made an art of sleeping on whatever floor the ghetto would provide for him.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! I had heard the story, but it gives it even more meaning to see the connection between your neighborhoods, GC, Brisgdes, etc. May the Lord Author many more Memphis turnarounds by the grace of Jesus and for His glory!

And, as an aside, Go Rebs!

Matthew Woodside said...

When I was in seminary I substitute taught at Briarcrest. I got to met Michael and the other students mentioned in the article. They are not exaggerating about how big he is. I had him in several classes and he made A's and B's on the work I saw him do. He was always polite and worked hard in class. It really is quite a remarkable story seeing where he has come from to where he is now

Ole Miss has another Briarcrest success story playing for them. His name is Greg Hardy.

Anonymous said...

thats a great story. there are so many people who are hurting and just need to hear of the hope that Jesus Christ gives

Clif said...

Hey, this has nothing to do with your blog story...i just wanted to pass on the info that Kristi and I have a new baby boy (Jack Martin Johnson)! I didn't know if the email addy i had was up to date.

Anonymous said...

Great story, but he should have went to Oklahoma! I remember when Bob Stoops recruited him.