Before Simone Biles reached worldwide recognition, there was a time when the gymnast used to be “hungry and afraid.” Had it not been her grandparents, Biles and her sister Adria would perhaps live a very different life. The siblings—then three and one years old—were sent to the foster care system after their mother started abusing drugs. Their father, Kelvin Clemons, was also an addict, relegating him to being an absent father figure.

But now what’s left is a heavy heart as Clemons regrettably looks back on what could’ve been done differently. His revelations added a deeper layer to the narrative of the world’s greatest gymnast—a story shaped as much by love as by loss.

Simone Biles does not talk to her father

In an emotional interview with the Daily Mail on August 13, Shanon Biles, the gymnast’s biological mother, expressed how Clemons has been wanting to see his estranged daughter. “We both want to see her,” she shared before continuing, “He (Kelvin) says, ‘If you talk to Simone, give her my number. I’d love to talk to her.’ But I can’t even talk to her,” Shanon admitted, her pain evident. “I have to go through my dad,” she added, emphasizing the barriers between them and their daughter.

With a heavy heart, Shanon made a plea to forget the past, hoping to rebuild the relationship they lost when Simone left their care. Notably, Shanon and Kelvin had struggled with dr*g and alcohol abuse. Shanon’s behavior towards her children led to her loss of custody, and she even got separated from the family. Notably, she has also been in and out of jail multiple times. Her latest run-in with the law was in 2o19 for assault, and the probation ended in January 2022. Once, she also lost her driver’s license for six months for driving under the influence of dr*g or alcohol.

“It was hard to give up my kids but I had to do what I had to, I wasn’t able to care for them. I was still using and he didn’t want me coming in and out of their lives when I wasn’t right,” the mother had later said. But now she’s ready to come back into her daughter’s life. “I want to see my kids,” she said in the interview with the Daily Mail.

Shanon also talked about being in contact with Simone’s biological father and told the reporter about the message he left for the gymnast. “If you talk to Simone, give her my number. I’d love to talk to her’,” she iterated, expressing her concern about how she could not do that because Shanon’s adoptive father would not let her do that.

She further exaggerated how she wants to tell her daughter she is so proud of her. But Shanon is waiting for Simone’s response. The gymnast has long cut off any sort of contact with her biological parents. She did not invite them to her wedding ceremony. Nevertheless, Shanon threw a celebration party after Simone’s massive success at the Paris Olympics in the backyard of her Columbus, Ohio, residence. Even though Shanon has Simone’s direct number saved on her phone, she refuses to call, believing the celebrated gold medalist will take the initiative.

But the broken relationship might be hard to mend—especially evident from Simone’s recollection of the tough times she’s faced.

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The gymnastic GOAT shared her side of the adoption story 

Simone Biles is unarguably one of the most decorated gymnasts in gymnastic history. Even though fans saw her dominance in the gymnastic arena, through her documentary on Netflix, “Simone Biles Rising,” they learned about the struggle part of her early life and her adoption story.

When Simone’s mother failed to be a parent, it was Ronald and Nellie Biles who rose to the occasion, giving the two sisters a new lease of life. The gymnast reflected that her adoption gave her the foundation she needed to pursue her dream of becoming a gymnast. “I have no idea where I would be without being adopted. I fear for what my life would’ve looked like,” she had said. “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,” she stated in another interview with PEOPLE.

Recalling the tough times, Simone even said, “I don’t remember a lot about foster care, but I definitely knew that we had been taken from our biological mom and then you just think you’re going to go back to her.”

She further added that whenever people ask her about her adoption journey, the Olympian never hesitates to share what matters to her the most: “My parents are my parents.” Simone doesn’t have the best relationship with her biological parents. After the adoption, Shanon did not see her daughters for six years as he was “still using.” As for Kelvin Clemons, he was “never in the picture” The only point of contact between him and his daughter is the latter’s performances.

The Paris Olympics showcased her prowess in the gymnastics arena once again, where she seamlessly secured four gold medals, bringing her total to 11 Olympic golds in her career.