Having drifted in and out of the school system for years, Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, is a lost cause. But when Leigh Anne Tuohy and her husband, Sean Tuohy, a well-to-do white family, take the rudderless black teen in, they transform both his life and theirs. As the under-educated football player and student faces an entirely different set of challenges to overcome, Michael's tremendous size and protective instincts make him a formidable force on the gridiron. Little by little, Michael Oher's new family and devoted tutor helped him realise his full potential as a left tackle. And with hard work and perseverance, Michael's guardians groomed him into an athletically and academically successful NFL prospect.—Nick Riganas