The journey to greatness is often marked by trials that test one’s resolve, and for Simone Biles, the road to becoming the greatest gymnast of all time was no exception.
Behind her glittering achievements lies a story of personal struggle and triumph over adversity, one that includes a complicated and painful relationship with her biological mother, Shanon Biles.
While Simone’s prowess in gymnastics has inspired millions around the world, the poignant tale of her family dynamics reveals a different kind of resilience—one rooted in the emotional scars of a troubled childhood.
Shanon Biles has long been a figure in the background of Simone’s life, a shadow of a past that the Olympic champion has chosen to leave behind.
However, as Simone’s success continues to soar, Shanon’s desire for a connection with her daughter grows stronger.
The 2024 Paris Olympics, where Simone added three more gold medals to her illustrious collection, was yet another occasion where Shanon found herself on the outside looking in, yearning to share in her daughter’s joy and accomplishments.
“I want to let her know I love her and I’m very proud of her,” Shanon shared in an emotional interview with the Daily Mail. But the road to reconciliation is fraught with the weight of a painful history.
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Simone’s reluctance to engage with her biological mother is well-documented. In a 2021 interview with USA Today, she expressed little interest in reconnecting with her birth parents. “I never really cared to find out who my biological father was, or really gain a close relationship with my biological mom,” she admitted.
“Which I’m sure she probably wanted.” These words encapsulate the chasm that exists between mother and daughter, a gap that Shanon is desperate to bridge, even as she acknowledges that it may never happen.
Shanon Biles’ struggle with addiction and the law during Simone’s early years left an indelible mark on her children. When Simone was a toddler, Shanon’s inability to care for her four children led to their placement in foster care.
The turning point in Simone’s life came when her maternal grandfather, Ron Biles, and his wife, Nellie, stepped in to adopt her and her younger sister, Adria. The move from Ohio to Texas marked the beginning of a new chapter for Simone, one where stability and love provided the foundation for her eventual rise to the pinnacle of gymnastics.
For Simone, Ron and Nellie Biles are her parents in every sense of the word, and Shanon has come to accept this reality. Yet, she continues to hold out hope that Simone will one day reach out to her.
“If I could beg her for forgiveness, I would,” Shanon confessed to the Daily Mail. Despite having her daughter’s phone number and having spoken to her on occasion, Shanon recognizes that the decision to reconnect lies solely with Simone.
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“She’s 27 now. She’s married. I would have liked to have been a part of that, but I just have to wait for her. You can’t push anybody,” she reflected. These words underscore the deep regret and longing that Shanon carries, as she watches from afar while her daughter builds a life filled with love, success, and happiness—one that she feels increasingly disconnected from.
Shanon’s journey toward sobriety has been a long and difficult one. While she has managed to stay clean in recent years, her past continues to cast a long shadow over her life. A 2020 arrest for assault served as a reminder of the struggles she has faced in her battle with addiction.
“I’m not the person I used to be. I’m okay, today,” she asserted. “I’m a loving person.” Yet, the question remains whether this transformation will be enough to mend the fractured relationship with her daughter.
Public interest in Simone’s family life tends to spike during major competitions, often casting Shanon in an unflattering light—as merely another obstacle that Simone had to overcome on her path to greatness. Shanon has voiced her discomfort with this portrayal, particularly when her father, Ron Biles, spoke about her drug problems during the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“He could have been more classy about it,” she remarked to TMZ. The narrative of Simone’s triumph over adversity often centers on her ability to rise above her troubled childhood, but for Shanon, this narrative can feel like a personal indictment.
In a 2016 interview with the Daily Mail, Shanon expressed her frustration with the brief and infrequent conversations she has had with Simone.
“I want to tell her what really happened when I was younger but I keep on waiting for the right time,” she revealed. However, as the years pass and Simone continues to achieve new heights in her career, the right time seems increasingly elusive. The hurtful memories that Simone carries, memories of neglect and hunger, are not easily erased. Simone once recalled in the Facebook Watch series Simone vs. Herself how she would watch her mother feed the family cat while she and her siblings went hungry.
“I’d be so hungry. They would feed this cat, and I’m like, ‘Where the heck is my food?’ … She always fed it, but she never fed us,” Simone remembered.
Ron and Nellie Biles provided the love and stability that Simone needed to thrive, but their efforts to shield her from the chaos of her early years also meant keeping Shanon at a distance. Shanon acknowledged the frustration she felt during those years when her father refused to let her see her daughters.
However, she also recognized that her continued drug use made her an unfit parent at the time. For Simone, the absence of her biological parents was not a source of longing.
“They feel kind of that void,” she said of other adopted children in her interview with USA Today. “But I never did.”
The story of Simone and Shanon Biles is one of heartache and resilience, of a mother’s hope for forgiveness and a daughter’s quest for peace. As Simone continues to build her legacy as the greatest gymnast of all time, the shadow of her past looms large.
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Shanon Biles remains on the periphery of her daughter’s life, hoping for a chance to reconcile but knowing that the decision is ultimately out of her hands.
The world may celebrate Simone for her unparalleled achievements, but the personal journey she continues to navigate is a reminder that even the greatest among us carry the weight of their past.
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