Simone Biles Mystery Mom : My Tears Of Joy

The mother who gave up the Olympic champ for adoption opens up to Star about the pain and pride of following her daughter’s success from afar.

- Alex Burton & Lacy Looney

HAVING won a record 10 world titles, Simone Biles was already the most decorated gymnast in the history of the sport before she took part in her very first Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro. And when she blew away the rest of the field on Aug. 11 to win the gold medal in the allaround competition, the 4-foot-9 dynamo left no doubt that she’s more than just the best gymnast of her generation — she may be the greatest of all time!

Still just 19, Simone clearly has done much to make her parents proud. Perhaps it’s only fitting, then, that she literally has two sets of parents to enjoy the staggering multitude of accomplishments she’s achieved at such a young age. And that family history has only added to the aura of Simone’s amazing story.

FRACTURED FAMILY 

Simone was born in Ohio to Shanon Biles and her then-boyfriend, Kelvin Clemons, who was on the scene only for a short while (see next page). At the time, Shanon was struggling with drug and alcohol abuse, and when Simone was 3, the state stepped in to remove her and three siblings from Shanon’s household. They went to stay with Simone’s grandparents, Ron and Nellie Biles — who eventually adopted Simone officially (box, right) — at their home in Spring, Texas.