Simone Biles’ birth mother reveals reason she abandoned Olympic legend as child and begs her to get back in contact
TEAM USA star Simone Biles' biological mother, Shanon, hopes that a day will come when she will able to reconcile with the Olympic legend.
Shanon Biles, 52, opened up about the decision to give up her children after the American gymnast's heroics at the 2024 Paris Games.
Simone and her siblings were adopted by Shanon's relatives after spending time in foster care due to their birth mother's battle with drug and alcohol addiction.
The would-be seven-time Olympic gold medallist and her sister, Adria, were taken in by their maternal grandfather, Ron, and his second wife, Nellie Cayetano, in 2003.
During her road to recovery, Shanon faced huge debt and legal trouble while living in a crime-ridden neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio.
She's now clean and sober and works as a cashier at Save A Lot when her health allows, she told the Daily Mail.
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Shanon said she followed Simone's Olympic efforts, throwing out a backyard party for friends and family as the US gymnast claimed three golds and one silver medal in Paris.
But she's still coming to terms with losing her children all those years ago.
"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," Shanon said.
"I was still using and [my father] didn't want me coming in and out of their lives when I wasn't right."
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Shanon said she feels sadness about missing out on Simone's important life events, such as her wedding to Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens.
"I would like to make amends with Simone personally – I'm just waiting for her and [her younger sister] Adria," she 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.
"I'm waiting for the opportunity, but I'm waiting on her to be able to come to me.
"Let's sit down. I just have to be patient."
'Mother hen' Biles
Simone Biles' first coach Aimee Boorman exclusively told The U.S. Sun that she thinks Biles will be spurred by a new role this year.
"Having younger teammates benefits her because she has stepped in as the mother hen figure," said Aimee.
"And so she has to tell them to stay calm. You've got this. You're prepared. And so as she's saying it, she's also hearing it.
"You always have tiny kids that come into the gym, but they're never ripped like Simone was," she said.
"I know she was very self-conscious about it growing up. But from a coaching perspective, it was great.
"I didn't think that Simone would be a multi gold medal athlete straight away.
"But she did stand out because she was very tiny, but very muscular."
Biles, 27, became the most decorated US Olympic gymnast in Paris, taking her all-time medal tally to 11.
After the Games, she paid tribute to her adoptive parents, saying, "If not for my [them] and adoption, I wouldn’t be here today."
The Team USA star also opened up about her complicated family dynamic.
"It's crazy explaining to people because I’m like, ‘My biological mom is also my dad’s daughter, and I call him dad'," Simone explained.
"So it’s just like, everybody’s hella confused.
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"It’s a whole family tree that you’re like, ‘Don’t make me explain it.'
"My parents are my parents. I got chosen. Feeling blessed."