Simone Biles was just six years old when she fell in love with the gymnastics vault. A regular day at the daycare changed her life’s course forever as she returned with a special letter. The letter was from the coaches urging her parents to sign her up for classes at the gym. Soon after, Biles and her younger sister Adria joined Bannon’s Gymnastix, where she first met Aimee Boorman, her first professional coach, and mentor.

Coach Boorman trained her for 11 years; her influence was significant in Simone’s life. Thus, as Boorman announced her departure from Gymnastix, momma Biles decided to upon a gym for her daughters. To help her mother in her cause back in 2016, Simone did something sentimental.

Simone Biles auctioned her leotard for a special cause 

For a gymnast, a leotard holds a special significance. For the unversed, a leotard is a one-piece, form-fitting outfit worn by gymnasts or individuals working out indoors. Simone decided to auction off her signed leotard from Rio Olympics on eBay.

When asked about the sentimental value of the piece, the young gymnast said, “this leotard is incredibly special to me! It’s an authentic Simone Biles leotard from my signature leotard line, Simone GK.” She added that the auctioned leotard reminds her of the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, the day she won her gold.

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Expressing herself further, she added, ‘this auction is special to me is that the proceeds raised on eBay’s giving platform, eBay for Charity, will go towards The Academy at the World Champions Centre, which is my parents’ gym that I train [at].

The money raised went to the gym that Momma Biles started 

In her autobiography, ‘Courage to Soar,’ Simone described how her mother decided to open a gym so that her daughters could practice gymnastics. It all began when Aimee Boorman, Biles’ coach, said she was leaving Bannon’s Gymnastix. Biles was close to her instructor and didn’t want to practice with anyone else. She broke the news to her mother in a sorrowful manner.

As a result, Nellie Biles spoke with Boorman and suggested they open their gym. As the venture required money, Mommy Biles liquidated her company to raise funds for the gym’s construction. She was the co-owner of a chain of fourteen nursing homes in Texas.

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Eventually, Nellie put in a lot of effort to turn their daughter’s dream into a reality. Thus, when Simone auctioned her leotard, she helped her mother for a cause that was not just noble but also sentimental.