Simone Biles’ Birth Mom Makes Emotional Plea to Mend Their Relationship

Simone Biles’ parents, Ronald and Nellie Biles, were originally her grandparents. Simone’s adoption journey began when she and her three siblings were placed into foster care. Their mother, Shanon Biles, struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, which led to her frequent incarcerations. Simone reflected on “Dancing With the Stars” in 2017, “I never had a mom to run to. I do remember always being hungry and afraid. At 3 years old, I was placed in foster care.”

Simone and her sister Adria were adopted by Ronald and Nellie three years after entering the system. Their older siblings, Ashley and Tevin, were adopted by Ronald’s sister. Following Simone’s successful run at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Shanon has publicly expressed her desire to rebuild a relationship with the Olympian.

In an August 2024 interview with the Daily Mail, Shanon revealed her hope to reconnect and reconcile with Simone. She mentioned that her father Ronald gives her updates about Simone during phone calls, but she wishes for direct communication. “I would like to make amends with Simone personally. I’m just waiting for her and [her younger sister] Adria,” Shanon said. “I speak to Adria more than I speak to Simone. I would just ask her to forgive me. Can we move forward? Don’t judge me on my past. Let’s move forward.”

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In her conversation with the Daily Mail, Shanon reflected on the hardship of giving up her children. After Ronald and Nellie adopted Simone and Adria, Shanon could not see them for six years. “I was respecting my Dad to let the kids transition, he felt that was the best thing for them,” Shanon said. “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. I was still using and [my father] didn’t want me coming in and out of their lives when I wasn’t right.” Though she felt anger initially, she later realized, “I had to deal with me first.”

Shanon mentioned that Kevin Clemons, Simone’s biological father, also wishes to be a part of Simone’s life. Though Shanon has Simone’s contact information, she is waiting for Simone to take the initiative. “You can’t push anybody,” Shanon said.

It seems Simone has not publicly responded to Shanon’s attempts to rekindle their relationship. However, after Shanon’s interview was published, Simone acknowledged her parents, Ronald and Nellie, on Threads for a luxurious gift they gave her. According to People, Simone wrote, “My parents bought me my Hermés bag.” She humorously added, “Don’t be mad at me, be mad at your parents.”

In a 2018 essay for CNN, Simone Biles shared her experience as a foster kid. “My road to success began the day my grandfather and his wife officially adopted my sister and me,” she wrote. She discussed the challenges of foster care and its impact on her self-esteem. “Finding a family made me feel like I mattered. Finding a passion, something I loved and was really good at, made me feel like I mattered,” Simone added. She also highlighted the need for better higher education opportunities for those raised in foster care.

During her time on “Dancing With the Stars,” Simone emphasized the importance of being adopted by Ronald and Nellie Biles. “My parents saved me,” she said. “They’ve set huge examples of how to treat other people, and they’ve been there to support me since day one. There’s nothing I could say to them to thank them enough.”

Ronald and Nellie have been immensely supportive of Simone. In addition to the recent gift announcement, Simone has often given them heartfelt shout-outs on social media. In June 2021, she posted on Instagram, “Thanks for making sacrifices since day 1 so I can live out my dream, but most importantly thanks for always being there for me through all the highs and lows. You guys are the absolute best. I love y’all.”