She was adopted by her grandparents when she was 6.

Simone Biles‘ biological dad is proud of her no matter what. Though he isn’t part of her life, he’s still supportive from a distance.

Simone Biles was adopted by her maternal grandparents Nellie and Ronald Biles. The stellar Olympic gymnast refers to them as Mom and Dad even though they aren’t her biological mother and father. The couple adopted her after her mother Shanon was struggling with addiction, and Simone and her sister Adria were in foster care. Nellie and Ron adopted the two, and raised them like their own children.

While Shanon is in contact with her daughters, here’s a deep dive into Simone Biles’ father and what their relationship is like now.

Who is Simone Biles’ father?

Simone Biles’ father is Kevin Clemons. He lives in Ohio but is not in contact with the athlete.

Shanon sometimes receives calls from Kevin when she’s competing. In an interview with Daily Mail in 2016, she said, “He just called me Sunday. I said, ‘I’m watching Simone are you watching her? Are you watching her? Call me back later. He knows that’s his daughter and he’s very proud of her.’

Shanon wasn’t in contact with Simone, her family, or her sister for several years after Ron and Nellie adopted them, but they gradually started talking again after she became sober. “When I talk to Simone, it’s a brief conversation, like, ‘I miss you, I love you, I can’t wait to see you, I’m proud of you, I’m watching. You go girl,’” she told the publication. “It’s never anything personal. I want to tell her what really happened when I was younger, but I keep on waiting for the right time.”

Before the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics, Shanon called Simone. “We were briefly on the phone but she’s been very busy. We spoke right before she went to camp to prepare for the Olympics – I spoke to her and Adria. I said, “I love you, I’m proud of you, I miss you, can’t wait to see you.” She said “I love you too”.