‘She Needs Money’: Simone Biles’ Birth Mom, Who Gave Her up as a Kid, Publicly Asks for Forgiveness & Faces Reaction

Wearing her heart on her sleeve, Shanon Biles—the birth mother of gymnastic icon Simone Biles—sat down for an exclusive interview with a news outlet on August 13. She discussed her wish to reconnect with her daughter after years of estrangement, and the public can’t help but wonder why now, after all this time?

The 52-year-old gave Simone up when she was just a little girl, abandoning both her and her other children, which includes Simone’s younger sister, Adria Biles, because of her drug and alcohol addictions.

“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,” Shanon confessed.

She then went on to reveal her reason for wanting to step back into Simone’s life. “I would like to make amends with Simone personally […] I would just ask her to forgive me. Can we move forward? Don’t judge me on my past. Let’s move forward,” expressed Shanon.

The apologetic mom also mentioned how she speaks to Adria more than she does to her older sister, conveying her sorrow for having missed out on a lot of Simone’s major life milestones, like when she wed NFL star Jonathan Owens last year (2023).

While Shanon desires with all her heart to make amends with her daughter, she acknowledges the fact that the ball remains in the Olympian’s court. “I’m waiting on her to be able to come to me […] I just have to be patient,” she remarked to the news outlet.

Although Shanon is not able to be around to share the excitement of her daughter’s victories with the rest of the family, she revealed how she celebrates the gymnastic star in her own way.

One such celebration saw her throw a backyard party for her row house in Columbia, Ohio, to proudly boast about Simone’s stellar performance at the Paris Olympics.

Hordes of neighbors and friends gathered at Shanon’s place to celebrate Simone’s three gold and silver medal wins she achieved during the Games. However, the affair was still bittersweet, marred by the grim reality of the familial situation.

Before Simone was adopted at six years old by her grandparents Ronald and Nellie Biles, she and her siblings were placed in foster care after Shanon lost them.

Aside from Simone and Adria Biles who live in Texas with Nellie and Ronald, their older siblings Tevin and Ashley were taken in by Ronald’s sister when they were younger.

Meanwhile, Shanon still lives in the same red-brick, corner-row $9,684 house she has always lived in, which, unfortunately, is located in a crime-ridden neighborhood called Franklinton. Adding further insult to injury is the fact that Shanon accumulated a lot of debt over the years.

Information from a bankruptcy petition that was filed in October 2018 stipulates that Shanon disclosed only having $34 on a prepaid card and ultimately $0 to her name overall. However, she did have some assets worth a few thousand dollars, though they were relatively small amounts.

Among the assets listed are two unusable cars (a GMC Sierra 2003 and a completely destroyed Toyota Scion XB 2008), which amount to $2,125 collectively. Other assets include homeware, jewelry, electronics, and shoes which make up a total of $9,650. Shanon also included her dog, cat, and guinea pig as part of her assets.

The news outlet reports that Shanon once owed $14,234 to 21 different companies, which include shopping websites and medical and financial services. She also owed a student loan of $3,834.

Aside from her money troubles, Shanon has faced legal troubles as well. Franklin County Municipal records indicate that she has faced court action for an array of criminal and traffic misdemeanor cases 36 times.

Additionally, she was found guilty of assault in January 2020 and was given a 180-day suspended prison sentence and probation until the beginning of 2022.

However, since then, Shanon has been able to turn her life around to some degree, staying out of trouble and spending her days working as a cashier at Save A Lot when she is unhindered by medical issues.

She also confirmed that she is clean and sober today, although it comes with its fair share of challenges. “I am a recovering addict […] But there’s a way [to recovery]. You have to learn to stay away from people, places and things. Change your routine,” she divulged.

“I’m not the person I used to be. I’m okay today. I’m a loving person […] I’m very different from what I’ve been portrayed,” Shanon admitted. Sadly, regardless of how much Shanon has changed, her relationship with Simone remains the same—heavily estranged with 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,” revealed Shanon. The father and daughter have come a long way since she had to relinquish her parenting rights.

“When we signed the [adoption] papers it was like my dad flipped a switch on me – no communication, don’t call, and don’t visit. That’s how it was in the beginning. It took me six years before I saw my children again […] I was hard-headed. I didn’t care, screaming, ‘I want to see my kids, why you doing this to me?'” Shanon shared.

Continuing she added, “I didn’t understand at the time but years later, I understood why. I had to deal with me first.” Shanon also spoke about how she wants the opportunity to be the one to explain the aforementioned circumstances to Simone herself.

Most importantly, however, she wants to let Simone know how much she loves her and how proud of her she is. Interestingly, while Shanon has her daughter’s number, she has never dialed it, wanting Simone to be the one to reach out first.

“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 noted. Apparently, according to Shanon, Simone’s biological father, Kevin Clemons wants to contact her, too.

Addressing her daughter directly, Shanon wrapped up her revelations, pleading, “I would like to sit down and talk to you and answer any questions you may have. I don’t know what you’ve been told but I want you to hear the real deal.”

Upon learning what Shanon had to say, netizens took to online platforms to express their opinions about her disclosures, with many believing they did not come from a genuine place. “She needs money,” asserted an X user.

Echoing the sentiment, another exclaimed, “Give me money!” “All about the money. If she wasn’t famous she wouldn’t care at all,” stated someone else. Others questioned the timing of Shanon’s interview, which comes after Simone has garnered worldwide recognition and success as a legendary gymnast.

“Why now?” wondered a Facebooker, while another penned, “Funny how she wants her to forgive her now that she can make money off her daughter.”

“You can forgive, but doesn’t mean the mother can come back into her life,” said a social media user. “This is a disgusting way to reach out,” criticized an observer. “How convenient – shame on you,” chastised another.

One person seemingly looking out for Simone’s best interests expressed, “Sure if that’s what Simone wants…” Thus far, Simone has not commented on her biological mother’s pleas. However, she has been outspoken about the incredible impact her adoptive parents have had on her life and career.

Speaking to “Today’s” Hoda Kotb, who asked the superstar gymnast to whom or what she gives credit for where she is today, Simone Biles disclosed, “If not for my parents and adoption, I wouldn’t be here today.” “That’s so beautiful. That is so beautiful,” swooned Hoda at Simone’s answer.