For 17 years, Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) has been in foster care with different families. Every time he is sent to a new home, he runs away. One of his friend's fathers, whose couch Mike had been sleeping on, enrolls him into a Christian school, after the father convinces the coach that "Big Mike" is a natural athlete, yet he refuses to beat people to the ground. The coach convinces the school principal to enroll him in the school. After school one day, Michael meets Sean "SJ" Jr. (Jae Head), who quickly befriends Michael. Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) is a fiery interior designer, mother to SJ and Collins (Lily Collins), and wife to Sean Tuohy (Tim McGraw). After a pre-holiday Thanksgiving school festival, Leigh Anne notices Michael walking on the road, shivering in the freezing cold; she pities his situation and offers him a place to spend the night.