Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles has overcome the odds to become one of the nation’s most well-respected gymnasts, opening up during Monday night’s “Dancing With the Stars” about living in foster care and her grandparents’ life-altering decision to take her in.
Biles, 20, then proceeded to perform the Viennese waltz with professional partner Sasha Farber; they danced to the Christian song “Good Good Father,” a tune by worship band Housefires that was recently further popularized by singer Chris Tomlin.
It was a remarkable song choice, considering that it’s quite rare for a contestant on the show to dance to a Christian tune; furthermore, Monday night’s show also featured Mr. T performing to “Amazing Grace,” as Faithwire previously reported.
Biles’ and Mr. T’s performances were part of the show’s “Most Memorable Year Week,” an episode in which celebrity dancers choose a past year in their lives that is most important to them and dance to a song that represents a major event that unfolded.
“My most memorable year was the year 2000 when I was adopted,” Biles said in a video package that preceded her dance, explaining that she was placed in foster care at the age of 3, as her biological mom was struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. “I never had a mom to run to. I do remember always being hungry and afraid.”
She recalled how much she loved seeing her biological grandfather, Ron Biles, while she was in foster care, saying she would always get so excited when she’d get the chance to visit with him. Soon, Ron Biles decided to take his grandchildren into his home.
“I didn’t want the kids in foster care … I said, ‘Send them to me,'” Ron Biles said in the video package, recalling how excited Simone was on the flight to his house. “I just looked at her and said, ‘You’re not going to steal my heart.’ She did.”
Watch her touching tribute to her father below:
In the end, Biles, who now calls her grandparents mom and dad, said that they “saved” her.
“They’ve set huge examples of how to treat other people and they’ve been there to support me since day one,” she said.
You’ll notice that, at the end of the dance, Biles went over to her father and mother and the family embraced, with tears visibly flowing. Then, they gathered together to hear what the judges had to say.
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