Question 527

X was one of twelve children born to Michael Jerome Williams and Denise Oher. He attended eleven different schools during his first nine years as a student. After playing football his freshman year at a public high school in Memphis, X applied for admission to the private Briarcrest Christian School, at the instigation of acquaintance Tony Henderson, with whom he was temporarily living. The school's football coach submitted X's school application to the headmaster, who agreed to accept him if X could complete a home study program first. Despite not finishing the program, he was admitted when the headmaster realized that his requirement had removed X from the public education system.

X was living with several foster families and a football teammate at Briarcrest for twenty months before Y and Sean Tuohy, a couple with a daughter and son at Briarcrest, allowed Oher to live with them. The family began taking care of his needs after becoming familiar with his difficult childhood. They also connected him with a tutor, who worked with him for twenty hours a week.

X and Y shot to fame late last year. Why?