"I still acted like a little mother to Adria" - When Simone Biles opened up about being protective of her sister amid their adoption process

Simone Biles once opened up about her deep protectiveness of her sister Adria during their adoption process. Prior to their adoption, the American gymnast and her sister spent three years in the foster care system.

When the legendary gymnast was only three, Simone and her infant sister entered foster care as their biological mother, Sharon, was unable to provide for them due to her drug and alcohol addiction. Simone is two years older than Adria.

They were adopted by their maternal grandfather and grandmother, Ron, and his second wife Nellie Biles, when they were six and four. Being two years older than Adria, Simone instinctively became her sister's protector, stepping into the maternal role.

In her autobiography, Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance, the multiple-time Olympian reflected on the 2002 Christmas Eve. She and her sister arrived at their grandmother's house and became more guarded and less talkative than before. Nellie thought the hesitation was triggered due to the experience of eventually being separated from them.

"Adria and I came to Spring on Christmas Eve 2002," Biles wrote. "I was five and my sister was three. Grandma was a little worried about meat first: She noticed I was a lot more guarded than before. I was still bouncy and hyper, and I still acted like a little mother to Adria, but I was less talkative. Years later, Grandma told me that she thought it was because I was afraid to trust the situation, because we had lived with them before and they'd let us go."

"Little girl in me would look for you in every single room" - When Simone Biles' sister Adria expressed her pride following the gymnast's heroics at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Simone Biles of Team United States at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Getty Images)

After withdrawing from the 2020 Tokyo Games, Simone Biles made a return to compete at the French capital, where she further cemented her legacy by winning three gold medals in vault, team, and all-around events.

Following her victorious streak, Simone's sister Adria shared a picture from their childhood and expressed her pride and admiration for the gymnast, stating she will always look up to her.

"The little girl in me would look for you in every single room she walks into. you have made me into the person I am today and I will forever look up to you. i love you sister," Adria wrote.

Along with the gold medal, Simone Biles also bagged a silver medal in the floor event.