Olympian Simone Biles Honors Her Parents with Good, Good Father on Dancing With The Stars

Faith has always been a big part of who the gold medalist is.

By Nancy Flory Published on April 18, 2017

Last week Simone Biles, 5-time Olympic medalist in gymnastics, performed on Dancing with the Stars to Chris Tomlin’s Good, Good Father. It was an opportunity to honor her adopted parents and maternal grandparents who took Simone and her sister from foster care after their daughter’s struggles with drugs and alcohol. Her adoption has played a big part in who she is — from her inner strength to her faith in God.

“My most memorable year is the year 2000, when I was adopted,” she told Dancing with the Stars. “Growing up, my biological mom was suffering from drug and alcohol abuse and she was in and out of jail. I never had Mom to run to. I do remember always being hungry and afraid.”

Simone lived in foster care as a toddler. “Whenever we had visits with my grandpa, I was so excited,” she said. “That was the person I always wanted to see walk in.” Then when she was three years old, her grandparents formally adopted her. Her adopted mom Nellie said God opened her heart to adopt the girls. “It was meant to be, I mean without a shadow of a doubt nothing was supposed to be different and it’s the best decision we’ve made.”

The girls’ parents have made faith a priority in their home. “I am a very prayerful person so I encourage my children to do the same thing too, to pray,” said Nellie. “And I know it doesn’t matter what situation you are ever in you just put it in the hands of the Lord and he’s going to walk you through it.”

Simone has embraced the faith modeled by her parents. “I was taught that you can go to Him for anything and he’s the One that directs your life,” she said. “She [Nellie] would always tell you if you don’t know, leave it up to God. Pray to Him about it.”

Simone sees struggles in life as part of God’s way of making her stronger, like the time she failed to make the 2011 National team. “I believe that some obstacles that we’ve had always work out for the better because God knows that without those you wouldn’t be as strong as you are.” She went home, practiced harder and the next year she made it on the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team.

Last Monday’s dance was a way to tell her parents “thank you” for all they’ve done for her. “My parents saved me,” she said. “They’ve set huge examples of how to treat other people and they’ve been there to support me since day one. There’s nothing I could say to them to thank them enough. Even though there’s no right words, maybe dance will say it for me.”

“I think God gives every individual something special and mine was talent,” explained Simone. Her grandfather encouraged her to never take it for granted or waste God’s gift to her. “… It’s like it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. One day I’ll be too old to do gymnastics. So for now I have to use it to the best of my ability.”

Following her performance on Dancing with the Stars, she ran to her parents and tearfully hugged them. She received a score of 36 out of 40 from the judges. Watch her performance below:

 

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