ðə θˈʌmz ˌʌp sˈaɪn hɐz bɪkˌʌm ðə sˈɪmbəl fɚðə mˈaɪk ˈʌtli faʊndˈeɪʃən, ɐ faʊndˈeɪʃən kɹiːˈeɪɾᵻd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti wˈʌn baɪ ˈʌtli ænd hɪz ˈeɪdʒənt bɹˈuːs ˈælən tə hˈɛlp sˈiːk ɐ kjˈʊɹ fɔːɹ pɚɹˈæləsˌɪs.
The thumbs up sign has become the symbol for the Mike Utley Foundation, a foundation created in 1991 by Utley and his agent Bruce Allen to help seek a cure for paralysis.