Born Michael Jerome Williams, Jr., in Memphis, Tennessee, he was one of 12 children of Denise Oher. His mother suffered from alcoholism and crack cocaine addiction, and his father, Michael Jerome Williams, was frequently in prison. He received little attention or discipline during his childhood. He repeated first and second grades, and attended eleven schools during his first nine years as a student. He was placed in foster care at age seven, and alternated between living in various foster homes and periods of homelessness.Michael Oher . . . his life and football career at Michael Oher fan site (September 9, 2010) Oher's father was a former cellmate of Denise Oher's brother and was murdered in prison when Oher was a senior in high school.
