JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Is Simone Biles Adopted by Her Parents? All About the Olympic Gold Medalist's Supportive Mom and Dad
Simone Biles' parents have supported her dreams for years. But did Simon Biles get adopted by her parents? Here's everything to know about her mom Nellie, dad Ronald, and biological family.
Simone Biles, the greatest gymnast of all time, has an incredible support system that’s been cheering her on since her early training days in Houston, right up to her performances on the world stage.
Simone Biles led the United States to victory in the women's team gymnastics event, starting her ‘redemption tour’ with a fifth Olympic gold. This marked her first Olympic gold since Rio 2016. In Tokyo, she had to pull out of several events due to the 'twisties,' a disorienting mental block.
Simone Biles has inspired countless people, but who inspires her to overcome negativity and persevere? Here's everything you need to know about Simone Biles' parents.
Is Simone Biles adopted by her parents?
Simone Biles was adopted by her maternal grandparents, Nellie and Ronald Biles. Although they aren’t her biological parents, she calls them Mom and Dad. They adopted her and her sister Adria after their mother, Shanon, struggled with addiction, leaving the girls in foster care. Nellie and Ron took them in and raised them as their own.
Who are Simone Biles' biological parents?
Simone was born in Columbus, Ohio, to Shanon Biles and Kelvin Clemons. Both struggled with addiction, and Shanon, who was raising her kids alone, couldn’t care for them properly. Simone shared on Dancing With the Stars in 2017: "Growing up, my biological mom was suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, and she was in and out of jail. I never had a mom to run to. I do remember always being hungry and afraid."
At 3 years old, Simone entered foster care. "I don’t remember a lot about foster care, but I definitely knew that we had been taken from our biological mom, and then you just think you’re going to go back to her," she shared on ‘Simone Vs. Herself.’
Despite the challenges, Simone feels grateful for her experience in the foster care system.
Nellie and Ronald adopted Simone and sister Adria in 2003
During her time in foster care, Simone’s grandparents were her source of hope. On Dancing with the Stars, she said, "Whenever we had visits with my grandpa, I was so excited. That was the person I always wanted to see walk into the foster home."
When Simone was five, Ronald and his wife Nellie adopted Simone and Adria. They raised the girls along with their two sons in Spring, Texas, while Ronald’s sister took in Simone’s two older siblings, Tevin and Ashley, in Ohio. "We were very fortunate that we actually got to stay with our siblings because a lot of the time you either get regrouped from home to home to home or you and your siblings get split up," she shared on ‘Simone Vs. Herself.’
On "Dancing With The Stars," Simone said her parents asked her to think of them as Mom and Dad when they adopted her. "'OK, you know how you called us Grandma and Grandpa?' they said. 'You can call us Mom and Dad now if you want to.'"
"My parents saved me," she added. "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."
READ MORE: Who are Odell Beckham Jr.'s parents? All about Odell Beckham Sr. and Heather Van Norman
Ronald Biles was a single father when he met wife Nellie Biles
Ronald Biles was serving in the Air Force and raising his daughter Shanon, Simone’s mom, as a single dad when he met Nellie in San Antonio. They married on January 16, 1977, and later had two sons, Ronald Jr. and Adam.
Ronald and Nellie Biles are owners of the gym where Simone trains
Simone trains at the World Champions Centre, a 56,000-square-foot gym in Spring, Texas, owned by her parents. "Representation matters, and we want to inspire the next generation to pursue their passion," Simone told Health. "Kids can come in, and we will be training in the back, and they can see we are just like them. It helps them understand they can do it, too." The gym offers a variety of classes and training for all levels and ages. Her brother, Adam, was the former general manager.
Latest Articles
