Shanon Biles, the biological mother of seven-time Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, remains hopeful for a future relationship with her daughter but says it’s up to Simone, now 27, to reach out. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Shanon expressed her desire to seek forgiveness from the Olympian for her past.
Shanon, 52, gave up Simone and her younger sister, Adria, to their grandparents, Ron and Nellie Biles, when the girls were toddlers.
She made this decision while struggling with drug and alcohol addictions. “I would like to make amends with Simone personally — I’m just waiting for her and [her younger sister] Adria,” Shanon told the Daily Mail. “I speak to Adria more than I speak to Simone. I would just ask her to forgive me. Can we move forward? Don’t judge me on my past. Let’s move forward.
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“I’m waiting for the opportunity but I’m waiting on her to be able to come to me. Let’s sit down. I just have to be patient.”
In the interview published shortly after the Summer Olympics, she revealed her pride in watching her daughter, Simone, win three gold medals and a silver, bringing her career total to 11.
Shanon followed the games from her home in Columbus, Ohio, where Simone and her sister lived before their time in foster care and later their adoption by their grandparents in Texas.
Despite Simone’s achievements, Shanon revealed that they are not close and currently have no direct communication.
“What I hear about Simone I hear through my dad. I speak to my dad all the time. We’re good now. It was just his birthday, and I called to wish him happy birthday,” Shanon said.
“If I need to know anything I call my dad. I ask him about Simone, and he keeps me posted,” she added.
Ron and Nellie Biles raised Simone and Adria in the Houston area, providing them with the stable home life they lacked while with their biological mother. Although Simone’s feelings toward Shanon are not well-known, the Associated Press reported in 2015 that Simone corrected anyone who referred to Shanon as her mother.
Shanon, now clean and sober, currently works as a cashier at Save A Lot, a discount grocery store.
“I’m not the person I used to be. I’m OK, today. I’m a loving person,” she said, while still feeling the pain of missing out on some of the biggest moments of Simone’s life such as her wedding with Jonathan Owens.
She hopes to get the opportunity one day to communicate with Simone and Adria to share her side of their early years and express her love and pride for Simone.
She also mentioned that Simone’s biological father, Kevin Clemons, has expressed a desire to build a relationship with Simone and that Shanon has been in contact with him.
Although Shanon has Simone’s direct number, she stated that she would not be the one to make the first contact.
“I do have a direct number, but I won’t use it,” Shanon said.
“I want her to reach out to me. 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.”
