Simone Biles’ parents, Ronald and Nellie Biles, are her biggest fans
Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles credits much of her success to her parents, Ronald and Nellie Biles, who adopted her and her younger sister, Adria, at age 6.
“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,” the gymnast said on an episode of her Facebook Watch series, Simone Vs. Herself.
She continued, “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.”
Ronald and Nellie are Biles’ biggest fans, and the affection is mutual. “They mean the world to me,” she once said.
Her parents’ support was especially important during the Tokyo Olympics in July 2021, when Biles withdrew from several events to focus on her mental health after experiencing a case of the “twisties,” a phenomenon where she lost her ability to sense her body move in the air, putting her at risk of injury upon landing.
“Thanks for making sacrifices since day 1 so I can live out my dream. but most importantly thanks for always being there for me through all the highs and lows,” Biles wrote on Instagram. “You guys are the absolute best. I love y’all.”
She made her elite gymnastics return in August 2023 at the U.S. Classic in Illinois and went on to score three gold medals and one silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics at the team finals, the women’s all-around final, and individual vault and floor events.
Here’s everything to know about Simone Biles’ parents, Ronald and Nellie Biles.
They met in 1977
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When the couple met, Ronald was serving in the Air Force and was stationed in San Antonio, Texas, where Nellie was a nursing student, according to The Undefeated. He was also a single dad to Biles’ biological mother, Shannon. Ronald and Nellie got married on Jan. 16, 1977, and went on to have two sons, Ronald Jr. and Adam.
They adopted Biles at age 6
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Shannon struggled with drug and alcohol addiction and was unable to take care of her four kids, leading Biles and her siblings to be placed in foster care. Biles spent three years in the foster care system and has since opened up about the experience. While competing on Dancing with the Stars, the gymnast recalled “always being hungry and afraid” during her time living in foster homes.
“Whenever we had visits with my grandpa I was so excited,” she said. “That was the person I always wanted to see walk in the foster home.”
Ronald and his wife Nellie eventually adopted Simone and her sister Adria, moving them to Houston, Texas. Biles now considers Ronald and Nellie her parents. That early experience left a lasting impression on her, and the athlete now uses her platform to help kids in the foster system.
Biles’ two other siblings, Tevin and Ashley, were adopted by their great aunt and raised in Cleveland, Ohio.
Nellie reflected on when she and Ronald first adopted Biles and her sister in Simone Vs. Herself, saying: “I remember praying for that bonding … because telling them that you love them and you care for them; that’s all words. But then you wake up one day, and you realize that you would do anything for these children. And that you would die for these children. And when that feeling comes, that’s when you know you are truly a mother.”
They encouraged Biles’ talent from the start
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Biles first began gymnastics at age 6 after visiting a gymnasium for a daycare field trip. She came home with a note from the coaches, who recognized her talent, encouraging her to enroll in classes; Ronald and Nellie immediately signed her up.
“It was history from there,” Nellie told PEOPLE in 2016. “She never missed a practice. Even if she was sick, I would tell her she should stay home, and she would say ‘No, I have to go to practice!’ “
“[They] support me in any way possible,” Biles added. “My parents make sure we have everything we need so that we compete to the best of our abilities.”
They’ve been at all of Biles’ competitions, except one
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When Biles spoke to Brene Brown about withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics to prioritize her mental and physical health, she said that not having her parents there due to the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the things that made the experience 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,” Biles said. “My parents haven’t missed a competition in my life.”
Ahead of the Tokyo games, Nellie told PEOPLE that finding her parents in the crowd is part of Biles’ pre-performance ritual.
“She always knows where we are sitting, it doesn’t matter the arena. She’ll look and I’ll wave and we make a connection,” she shared.
Biles’ entire family joined her in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics where U.S. women’s gymnastics, nicknamed the “Golden Girls,” secured gold in the team final and where she won another gold medal at the women’s all-around final.
“She is happy that we’re here. 17 of us are here to cheer her on,” Nellie said during an interview with Snoop Dogg and Hoda Kotb.
While in Paris, Ronald made headlines for using binoculars in the stands. Biles shared on Instagram that she thought it was “soooo freaking cute.”
They own the gym where Biles trained at
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Ronald and Nellie own World Champions Centre, the training facility in Spring, Texas, where Biles trained. Biles’ brother, Adam Biles, was formerly the general manager of the gym. The couple opened the gym in 2014 so that their daughter could continue to train with her longtime coach, Aimee Boorman, without hopping from gym to gym based on Boorman’s employment.
They’re close with Biles
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When Biles returned from the Tokyo Olympics, the first thing she wanted to do was see her parents. “Houston, I’m home. Thanks for making sure I didn’t have to wait one more minute to see my family @united,” Biles wrote on Instagram.
When she appeared on Dancing with the Stars in 2017, Biles opened up about her parents.
“My parents saved me. They’ve set huge examples of how to treat other people and they’ve been there to support me since day one,” she said. “There’s nothing I could say to them to thank them enough.”
“She’s just amazing,” Ronald told host Tom Bergeron on the episode. “She surprises me.”
Nellie helped Biles plan her wedding to Jonathan Owens
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In February 2022, Biles got engaged to NFL player Jonathan Owens, whom she had been dating since March 2020. Ahead of the couple’s nuptials, Biles told PEOPLE she was looking forward to celebrating her big day with her loved ones and particularly her mom, who helped her plan the wedding.
“She’s someone I can bounce things off of and has been letting me do my thing as I figure out what works for us,” Biles said of Nellie. “We are so excited to celebrate with our close circle, and she’s a big part of that.”
The gymnast continued, “My mom gives me advice on everything … I look to both her and my dad as role models in many ways, but also as examples of what a strong base of love and support looks like.”
On May 6, 2023, Ronald and Nellie attended Biles and Owens’ wedding in Cabo San Lucas. During the ceremony, Ronald walked his daughter down the aisle.
