‘Changed my life’: Michael Oher starts nonprofit aimed at helping disadvantaged youth

CHARLOTTE — Following a six-year break from the game, an NFL star is returning with a different mission.

Many remember Michael Oher as a Carolina Panther, or from the blockbuster movie, ‘The Blindside’, based on his childhood growing up in the foster care system.

Recently, Channel 9′s Erica Bryant sat down with the former professional athlete about a book he released that week. Sharing details like the concussion that ended his NFL career, and sent him into the lowest points of his life while trying to recover.

ALSO READ: City picks nonprofit to run newest Violence Interruption programs

Now Oher has a new mission in mind, he established ‘ The Oher Foundation’ a nonprofit aimed at helping disadvantaged youth.

“I’m partnering with schools and placing mentor staff inside the schools and paying tuition for kids like myself, surrounding them with community education, and mentorship,” Oher said, “And it’s something that I saw in 10th grade that changed my life.”

Oher also told Bryant he hopes to open a school of his own one day.

For more information about the Oher Foundation, click here.

(WATCH BELOW: Charlotte-based nonprofit working to shine light on missing persons, cold cases locally, nationally)