Additional Coverage:
- ‘Blind Side’ star Quinton Aaron remains on life support, but health reportedly improving (latimes.com)
“Blind Side” Star Quinton Aaron Showing Improvement After Hospitalization
Atlanta, GA – Quinton Aaron, the actor renowned for his role alongside Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side,” is reportedly making significant strides in his recovery after being hospitalized last week for a blood infection.
Margarita Aaron, the actor’s wife, provided an update on Monday, telling Fox News and TMZ that her husband is “making significant progress.” She noted minor body movements, including him opening his eyes and offering a thumbs-up. While Aaron is partially breathing on his own, he remains on breathing assistance and antibiotics, according to Fox News.
“He’s a fighter; he’s a very strong fighter, and you know, he is making progress day by day,” Margarita Aaron told Fox News. “And I believe God’s got him, and he believes God’s got him.”
The 41-year-old actor was admitted to an Atlanta hospital last week after collapsing while ascending the stairs in his apartment, TMZ reported. Days prior to the collapse, he experienced neck and back pain, reportedly losing feeling in his legs before he fell.
His wife called 911, and Aaron was slipping in and out of consciousness en route to the hospital, where he has since undergone various tests. On Tuesday, TMZ reported that doctors discovered a “rare cyst” on the actor’s spine.
In support of Aaron, the nonprofit organization Veterans Aid Network launched a GoFundMe page. The organization, which described Aaron as “part of a veteran family himself” and has a “longstanding relationship” with the actor, aims to raise $35,000 to assist his loved ones with medical expenses and other recovery-related costs. As of Tuesday afternoon, donors have already surpassed this goal, raising over $40,000.
The GoFundMe description reads, “Quinton has spent his life inspiring others, reminding us that compassion and humanity still matter in this world. Now, as he faces one of the hardest battles of his life, let’s surround him and his loved ones with that same compassion, strength, and care.”
An update on the fundraiser Monday indicated that Aaron “opened his eyes and has some feeling in his foot!” The update also noted he remains on life support and will require a wheelchair upon his eventual release.
Aaron has an extensive filmography, but his most recognized role is undoubtedly as Michael Oher in the 2009 drama “The Blind Side.” The film, based on Michael Lewis’ 2006 book, tells the true story of Oher, who was taken in by wealthy couple Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, leading to his success as an All-American football player at Mississippi and a first-round draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens. Aaron portrayed Oher, while Sandra Bullock played Leigh Anne Tuohy, a performance that earned her an Academy Award.
“The Blind Side” garnered renewed attention in 2023 when Oher filed a lawsuit against the Tuohys, alleging they never formally adopted him and instead tricked him into signing a conservatorship document in 2004. The couple denied the claims, calling the lawsuit a “shakedown.” In September 2023, a Tennessee judge ordered the termination of the conservatorship.
A representative for Aaron did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.