The gymnast spoke about life before she was adopted.
Simone Biles, who is regarded as one of the greatest gymnasts of all time, has opened up about her early life, and her experience with hunger as a child.
The US Olympian shared stories from her childhood during an episode of the Facebook Watch series, Simone vs. Herself.
Biles said that food was scarce under the care of her biological mother.
“Growing up, me and my siblings were so focused on food because we didn’t have a lot of food,” she explained. “I remember there was this cat around the house and I would be so hungry. They would feed this cat and I would be like, ‘Where the heck is my food?'”
The gymnast explained that this is the reason she doesn’t like cats.
“This freaking street cat,” she said. “She always fed it. But she never fed us.”
Simone and her sister Adria were subsequently adopted by their maternal grandparents, Nellie and Ronald Biles.
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During the episode, Nellie spoke about raising the children.
“I knew I had my own boundaries because these were not my biological children,” she said. “You do everything that’s nurturing, that’s mothering, but emotionally you still have to be there 100%. And I was not.”
She continued: “I remember praying for that bonding because telling them that you love them and care for them, that’s all words. But you wake up one day and you realise that you would do anything for these children and that you would die for these children.
“And when that feeling comes, that’s when you know you’re truly a mother.”
Biles officially made the US Olympic team for the second time over the weekend.
At the 2016 Olympics, she dazzled audiences during her events and won four gold medals and one bronze medal. On top of that, she has won 25 World medals, 19 of which are gold. She also holds the record for most all-around titles at the World Championships.
