On Tuesday, July 30, after her historic win at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Simone Biles shared a heartfelt Instagram story of her grandfather, Ronald Biles, watching her compete.
Simone, the most decorated American gymnast, opened up about her tough childhood and the harrowing reality of being starved while in the care of her biological mother, who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction.
Simone’s early years were spent in foster care with her siblings Adria, Tevin, and Ashley, due to their mother Shanon’s inability to care for them because of her dependence on substances. Their father was also absent and faced similar issues.
“It was hard to give up my kids but I had to do what I had to do. I wasn’t able to care for them,” Shanon told the Daily Mail, reflecting on the difficult decision.
Speaking with CNN, Simone revealed how she vividly remembers the hardships she and her siblings faced as children, including being so hungry they envied a well-fed cat.
“When my siblings and I entered foster care, it was because our biological mom was struggling with drug and alcohol abuse. I was three years old,” she shared with CNN.
Two decades later, the memories of that time remain stark for Simone.
“I just remember us being so hungry and there was this cat that got fed and not us,” Simone recalls. Fortunately, she and her siblings found some comfort and joy after being placed in a stable foster home together.
Much of the joy came from visits by their grandparents, Ronald and Nellie Biles. When Simone was six, they adopted her and her younger sister Adria, ensuring the girls had a nurturing and stable environment.
“I wanted to take care of Adria because she was the baby,” Simone said on her Facebook Watch series, Simone vs. Herself. “I felt like I needed to look out for her because if family doesn’t, who will?”
Tevin and Ashley were adopted by Ronald’s sister and grew up in Cleveland, Ohio.
Life changing rain day
One unexpectedly fateful day, a rained-out school trip would change Simone’s life forever.
“I never thought about gymnastics for Simone, it never crossed my mind,” Nellie recalls on Simone vs. Herself. “The school trip got rained out, and instead, they ended up at Bannon’s Gymnastix.”
Simone adds that her first glimpse of gymnastics was in daycare during that field trip. She learned by imitating other girls, having never watched the sport on TV or seen it in magazines.
From then on, Nellie and Ronald attended every meet, cheering for Simone.
Simone admits she has a “bad habit” of searching for her parents in the crowd, feeling anxious until she finds them. “Once I see them, it calms me to know they’re there,” she explains.
Aside from Tokyo 2021, where fans were restricted due to COVID-19, Simone’s parents have seldom missed a competition. During Tokyo 2021, Simone put her health first, pulling out from several finals due to the ‘twisties.’
Dad and his binoculars
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Ronald and Nellie, along with Simone’s husband Jonathan Owens, were present to support her. Owens took time off from his training camp with the Chicago Bears to be there for his wife.
“She knows where we’re sitting; she can hear me because I scream so loud,” Nellie proclaimed proudly in a Facebook clip.
In Paris, Simone spotted Owens, wearing a colorful t-shirt with her images, sitting next to Nellie and her dad, whose face was hidden by the binoculars he used to see his daughter clearly.
“My dad and his binoculars is so freaking cute,” Simone wrote on an Instagram story, sharing this endearing family moment with her fans.
Friends of the Children
Besides being a record-breaking gymnast, Simone is also a passionate supporter of Friends of the Children, an organization providing long-term care to foster children.
“It gives these kids love and support, which is what they need. To have that one constant means the world to them,” Simone said in an interview with CNN.
Simone Biles’ journey from a struggling child to an Olympic champion is truly inspiring. What are your thoughts on her incredible story? Feel free to share your thoughts, and share this story to hear from others!
