Adopted at 6, Simone Biles Proudly Celebrates 2 Queens on Mother’s Day

On Mother’s Day, Simone Biles took the opportunity to thank two women in her life. She celebrated her adoptive mom Nellie Biles and her mother-in-law, Arthurine Cannon. Simone was adopted by her grandfather Ronald Biles and his second wife Nellie when she was 6 years old, along with her sister Adria after they had an unstable early childhood. She considers them her parents and the ones who saved her. On a similar note, she has great respect for her husband’s mother.

Resorting to IG stories, Simone added a carousel of snaps displaying her bonds with Nellie and Arthurine. In those snaps, Nellie earned the tag of Simone’s “girlboss” whereas Arthurine has been quoted as the “best mother-in-law“. She thanked both Nellie and Arthurine for their commendable roles in her life.

Further, adding Nellie and Arthurine’s snaps from her destination wedding, the gymnast has relished her ongoing marriage anniversary grandeur (22nd April) in the same breath. She also displayed her wedding ring as she’s “obsessed” with that. Moreover, Simone added a panoramic view of her new Texan abode in the consequent stories.

Being a parent, Nellie has been behind Simone through thick and thin, irrespective of the sphere. On Simone’s marriage day as well, Nellie played her part by reminding her daughter to eat or else she would black out. Simone acknowledged that later through her social media posts.

In fact, her parents have been to all her competitions, except for one. Remember how she withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics so that she could focus on her mental health? Her parents were not there to support her because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And this made things more difficult for her. “We go over to Tokyo and no audience is allowed, we’re quarantined in our rooms, and can only come out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Everyone expected us to perform in a certain manner. There was no camaraderie, and my parents weren’t able to go there,” she shared later.

“She always knows where we are sitting, it doesn’t matter the arena. If she’s in a competition, she’ll look and I’ll wave and we make a connection,” Nellie Biles had shared with PEOPLE before the Tokyo Olympics.

On the other hand, Arthurine Cannon, Jonathan Owens’s mother, and Simone share a great friendship. She once even called her mother-in-law her “best friend for life”. They have been on family trips together, and that gave them the opportunity to bond better.

Simone Biles admires the women in her life. While her early childhood was complicated, she believes it was necessary to build the strength and character she has today. She acknowledged the role of Nellie Biles, who never let her feel the absence of her biological mother. On that note, Simone Biles has multiple reasons to thank Nellie Biles, and she did that numerous times.

From grandma to mom: How Nellie Biles shaped Simone’s success

Simone Biles has faint memories regarding her biological mother. At the tender age of 3, Simone found herself in foster care. Her siblings, too, were in the system. According to different media reports, Simone’s biological mom struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, and little Simone and her siblings had experienced negligence under her.

Soon, the grandparents adopted Simone and her younger sister, Adria. “Being separated from my biological mom, being placed in foster care before I officially got adopted by my grandparents, it just set me up for a better route at life,” Simone Biles said. Simone’s two other siblings, Tevin and Ashley, were eventually adopted by their great-aunt and raised in Cleveland, Ohio.

“I feel like I wouldn’t be where I am unless that turning point happened. I would still be Simone Biles, probably not Simone Biles that everybody else knows, the world knows. But I also believe everything happens for a reason and I’m forever grateful for that because I definitely got a second shot at life.”

In subsequent years, both Nellie and Simone’s grandpa Ronald had become Simone’s parents. After the adoption, Ronald told her, “OK, you know how you called us Grandma and Grandpa? You can call us Mom and Dad now, if you want to.” That’s how Simone Biles achieved the mother’s love from her grandma. Eventually, she acknowledged Nellie and Ronald Biles’ role in paving the route of her gymnastic success.