Simone Biles has overcome significant challenges to become the world-renowned gymnast we now know and love. The Columbus, Ohio native entered foster care at three years old before she was adopted by her maternal grandfather and his wife.
Biles has called Grandpa and Grandma “Mom and Dad” since and has credited them for her success. “Thanks for making sacrifices since day one so I can live out my dream,” the record-breaking gymnast acknowledged in a 2021 X post completed with two heartwarming pictures of the trio. “Having my parents and that support made me who I am today,” she told CNN in 2023.
Ronald and Nellie Cayetano Biles are the names of the man and woman who adopted Simone when she was six, along with her younger sister Adria, bringing them to Spring, Texas. Their two older siblings, Tevin and Ashley, were adopted by Ron’s sister, Harriet. In the same CNN interview, Biles described being “so hungry” at times during her stay in a foster home, but luckily she was placed with her siblings.
After the pandemic kept them from attending the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Ron and Nellie, along with Simone’s husband, footballer player for the Chicago Bears Jonathan Owens, cheered enthusiastically for their champion daughter from the stands. Their tight bond was portrayed in the Netflix docu Simone Biles Rising, where Nellie is seen supporting her daughter after her decision to withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics.
Who are Simone Biles’ birth parents?
Simone Biles was born March 14, 1997, to Shanon Biles and Kelvin Clemons, but the couple, who were teenagers when they met, both struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. The gymnast’s mom was in and out of jail at the time her four children were placed in foster care.
In a 2016 interview with the Daily Mail, Shanon revealed that her dad completely cut contact with her when they signed the adoption papers, a decision she now respects and confesses was necessary.
It was hard to give up my kids but I had to do what I had to, I wasn’t able to care for them. I was still using and he didn’t want me coming in and out of their lives when I wasn’t right.”
It wasn’t until Simone was 12 that the two got to be together in person again, but Shanon never managed to open up to her daughter about the details of their shared past and has kept minimal direct contact with the Olympian since, receiving updates from Ronald instead. The 52-year-old, who has been sober since 2007, touched base with the Daily Mail again during the Paris Olympics saying she would like to “make amends with Simone personally.” She lamented not getting to be a part of Simone’s wedding to Owens in 2023 but respects that the contact must come from Simone and that she will wait.
Bio dad Clemons has never been a part of Simone’s life, however. He’s in contact with Shanon and the two discuss their daughter’s incredible success often.
‘We both want to see her. I talk to him all the time. He says, ‘If you talk to Simone, give her my number. I’d love to talk to her.’ But I can’t even talk to her. I have to go through my dad.”
Simone competed at her fourth Olympics in the first weeks of August, taking home an astounding three gold medals in the Team, All-Around, and Vault events, plus an extra silver for Floor, bringing her Olympic total to 11 medals. The 27-year-old is the most decorated gymnast of all time across all competitions and is widely considered one of the greatest athletes in history. Speaking to Today still fresh from her Paris triumph, she said she would not be where she is today if it wasn’t for her parents and adoption.