Simone Biles' biological mom has issued a plea to her famous daughter to get in touch with her.
Simone is a history-making gymnast and has won a total of 11 Olympic medals over the course of her career - four of which she achieved at Paris 2024.
On the surface the 27-year-old seems to have it all; celebrity status, Olympic success and a happy marriage to football star Jonathan Owens, but Simone's early life was far from smooth running.
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Simone was given up by her biological mother when she was a toddler and was in and out of foster care for some time.
She went on to be adopted by her grandfather Ronald Biles along with her youngster sister Adria when she was six and he brought them up in Texas alongside his wife Nellie Biles.
Ronald is the father of Simone's mom Shanon, who was battling drug and alcohol addiction when her kids were taken away from her.
As well as Adria, Simone has two other siblings: Tevin, now 29, and Ashley, 34, who were taken in by Ronald's sister.
Over two decades on from Simone and Adria being adopted by their grandfather, their mom Shanon now wants the rekindle her relationship with her daughters - Simone in particular.
Speaking out on having to give up her children, Shanon told the Daily Mail: "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. I was still using and [my father] didn’t want me coming in and out of their lives when I wasn’t right. I was hard-headed.
"I didn’t care, screaming, ‘I want to see my kids, why you doing this to me?’ I didn’t understand at the time but years later, I understood why.
"I had to deal with me first."
"I'm not the person I used to be," she went on to tell the publication.
"I'm okay, today. I'm a loving person. I'd give you the shirt off my back. I'm very different from what I've been portrayed."
In regards to Simone, Shanon understands that the ball is in the Olympian's court.
She shared: "I want to let her know I love her and I'm very proud of her. But I'm still waiting. [...] Whenever she's ready I'm here and willing to receive."
Going on to say that she has a cellphone number for Simone, Shanon insisted that she 'won't use it'.
"I want her to reach out to me," she said. "She's 27 now. She's married. I would have liked to have been a part of that, but I just have to wait for her. You can't push anybody."
"It hasn't happened yet, but I have patience. I'm waiting on her," Shanon added.
UNILAD has approached Simone's representatives for comment.
Topics: Simone Biles, Olympics, Celebrity, Parenting, News
Niamh Shackleton