Being the GOAT of gymnastics brings with it a lot of pressure and expectations. But Simone Biles takes it all like a champ and delivers her best. The star gymnast had to tackle many obstacles to get to the top. With a tragic backstory, her resilience only shines brighter, given her achievements.
Born to a mother suffering from alcohol addiction, Biles and her three siblings entered the foster care system at a young age. After shuffling around, their grandparents, Nellie and Ronald Biles, finally decided to adopt her and her sister Adria. Since then, the family has been inseparable.
Nellie worked as a nurse while Ronald was in the Air Force, working as an air traffic controller. They tied the knot in 1977 when Ronald was raising Simone’s biological mother as a single father. Later, he and Nellie had two sons, Ronald Jr. and Adam Biles. The couple adopted the sisters, while Ronald’s sister adopted the gymnast’s other siblings, Tevin and Ashley.
The star began gymnastics by accident when she saw the sport for the first time during a day trip. Despite being a bit old to begin, Biles caught on pretty soon and was a prodigy in the making. Nellie and Ronald immediately caught on to this and planned on investing in their daughter’s future.
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The couple built the World Champions Centre, a 56,000-square-foot gymnasium dedicated to Biles’ practice for competitions. Here, not only did the gold medalist practice to become a champion, but others aspiring to walk the same route as her were also welcome to train. According to a statement to ‘Health’:
“Representation matters, and we want to inspire the next generation to pursue their passion.”
Having attended every single competition of their daughter, save for one where rules prohibited them, Nellie and Ronald have been the gymnastics GOAT’s biggest cheerleaders. During the entire Tokyo Olympics fiasco, where Biles suffered from ‘twisties’, she also couldn’t see her parents during the competition. Nevertheless, they stood by her at every step, even when she pulled out of the Olympics.
That’s why the family came first for Biles. She has often acknowledged how she wouldn’t be ‘the Simone Biles’ that everyone knew had it not been for her parent’s sacrifices. They’ve held her up at every step and continue to do so. And because of all the love and support she has received from them, though, biologically, Ronald and Nellie are Simone’s maternal grandparents, Simone considers them her actual parents.
How Nellie and Ronald played a big part in Simone Biles’ big day
When the star gymnast said yes to longtime partner NFL icon Jonathan Owens, her mother stepped in to make sure the wedding plan was on track. Making multiple trips throughout the United States, the mother-daughter duo strengthened their bond over curating the special day. And when the day finally arrived, a teary-eyed Ronald got to walk his daughter down the aisle. Nellie watched on while this happened, making it the perfect day for the Olympian.
That’s why, when she first introduced Owens to the family, her parents’ opinions mattered over everything else. Lucky for her, the couple loved him and would have him over for meals even in the absence of their daughter. Setting the example of a perfect family, Biles trudges forth into a promising future now that she has made a return to the sport and has her family supporting her.
