Ashley Biles Thomas is an American woman best known as the older sister of Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles. Born in 1990, Ashley experienced a difficult childhood shaped by family instability, foster care, separation, and responsibilities that came at a very young age.
She became known mainly because of her connection to Simone Biles, one of the most successful gymnasts in history. However, Ashley followed a very different path. Her adult years included motherhood, family difficulties, legal problems, and periods of personal struggle away from the sporting spotlight.
This biography explores Ashley Biles Thomas’ early life, family background, siblings, childhood responsibilities, foster care experience, motherhood, legal history, and relationship with Simone. It also looks at where Ashley is today and the major experiences that have shaped her life.
Quick Bio
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ashley Biles Thomas |
| Birth Year | 1990 |
| Age (2026) | 36 years old |
| Birthplace | Columbus, Ohio |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American, Belizean |
| Religion | Christian |
| Mother | Shanon Biles |
| Father | Not known |
| Famous Sister | Simone Biles |
| Other Siblings | Adria Biles, Tevin Biles-Thomas, and others |
| Height | 5 ft 2 in (157 cm) |
| Relationship Status | Private |
| Children | Daughter Nacari and triplets |
| Known For | Being Simone Biles’ older sister |
| Residence | Ohio, United States |
| Social Media | Private Instagram account |
| Net Worth | Not known |
Early Life in Ohio
Ashley was born in 1990 and spent her early years in Columbus, Ohio. Her childhood home was affected by her mother Shanon Biles’ struggles with drugs and alcohol. Daily family life could therefore be unstable and difficult.
As the oldest sibling, Ashley took on responsibilities that would normally belong to an adult. She helped her younger siblings with everyday needs and tried to care for them when their home lacked consistency.
These experiences made Ashley grow up quickly. Instead of having a simple childhood, she dealt with responsibilities, uncertainty, and family problems that became important parts of her early story.
Her Mother, Shanon Biles
Ashley is the daughter of Shanon Biles. Shanon struggled with drug and alcohol addiction while her children were young, creating serious difficulties within the household.
The problems eventually became too serious for the children to remain in their mother’s care. Child Protective Services became involved, and Ashley and her siblings were removed from the home.
Shanon’s struggles had a lasting effect on the family. They influenced where her children lived, who eventually raised them, and why the siblings followed very different paths as they grew older.
Ashley’s Father
Very little information has been shared about Ashley Biles Thomas’ biological father. His identity and involvement in Ashley’s childhood have remained outside the wider story of the Biles family.
Most accounts of Ashley’s childhood instead focus on her mother, siblings, grandparents, and other relatives. These were the family members who played the most visible roles during important periods of her early life.
As a result, her father does not form a major part of the available account of Ashley’s upbringing. Her maternal family has received considerably more attention when her childhood is discussed.
Growing Up as the Older Sister
Being the oldest placed Ashley in a difficult position during childhood. When the adults around the children could not provide enough stability, she often tried to help Simone, Adria, and Tevin.
She reportedly helped with simple daily responsibilities, including getting her younger siblings ready and putting them to bed. These tasks gave her a caregiver role even though she was still growing up herself.
Ashley therefore shared more than an ordinary sibling relationship with the younger children. During a difficult period, she also became someone who tried to protect and care for them.
Entering Foster Care
Conditions eventually reached the point where Child Protective Services intervened. Ashley and her siblings were removed from their mother’s custody and entered the foster care system.
The change created another uncertain period. The siblings had already experienced instability at home, and foster care meant adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings while not knowing exactly what would happen next.
They initially remained together, which allowed them to maintain their sibling connection. However, their family situation later changed again when relatives became involved in deciding where the children would permanently live.
How the Biles Siblings Were Separated
In 2000, Ashley and her siblings temporarily went to live with their grandparents, Ron and Nellie Biles. This brought more stability after the children’s experiences with their mother and foster care.
A major change followed in 2003. Ron and Nellie adopted Simone and Adria, while Ashley and Tevin remained in Ohio and were adopted by their great-aunt Harriet.
This decision divided the siblings between two households. Simone and Adria grew up in Texas, while Ashley and Tevin continued their lives in Ohio. From that point, their childhood experiences became increasingly different.
Life Away From Simone Biles
Growing up in separate states naturally changed Ashley and Simone’s relationship. They no longer shared the same household, schools, friends, routines, or everyday experiences.
Simone eventually discovered gymnastics and entered an environment that allowed her talent to develop. Her athletic career grew rapidly and ultimately took her to the highest levels of international competition.
Ashley remained in Ohio and followed another path. Their shared childhood was followed by very different teenage and adult lives, which helps explain why the sisters are rarely seen together publicly.
Ashley Biles Thomas and Her Sister Simone
Ashley Biles Thomas and Simone Biles share a family bond that began during a difficult childhood. As the older sister, Ashley helped care for Simone and their other siblings when they were young. Their lives later changed when they were raised in separate homes.
Simone and Adria moved to Texas with their grandparents, while Ashley and Tevin remained in Ohio with their great-aunt Harriet. This separation meant the sisters grew up in different environments and followed very different paths.
Ashley has still shown support for Simone. In 2021, she shared Simone’s photo and called her the “real G.O.A.T.,” showing pride in her sister’s achievements.
Ashley’s Relationship With Her Other Siblings
Ashley also shares family ties with Adria Biles and Tevin Biles-Thomas. Their earliest years were spent together before adoption arrangements divided the siblings between Ohio and Texas.
Ashley and Tevin remained in Ohio and were raised by their great-aunt Harriet. This meant their childhood paths remained more closely connected after Simone and Adria moved to Texas.
Ashley later publicly supported Tevin when he faced serious legal difficulties. He had been charged in connection with a murder case in 2019 but was acquitted in 2021 after the case against him failed.
Ashley Biles Thomas as a Mother
Ashley became a mother while still relatively young. She has a daughter named Nacari, who was reported to be around seven years old in 2016.
Motherhood added another major responsibility to Ashley’s life. Having already spent part of her childhood caring for younger siblings, she entered adulthood with considerable experience of family responsibility.
Ashley has kept her children mainly outside public attention. She has also mentioned having triplets and spoke about the death of their father, revealing another difficult personal experience in her adult life.
Challenges During Her Adult Years
Ashley experienced several difficult periods after reaching adulthood. Her life did not follow the public path associated with her younger sister’s sporting success.
Her early experiences included an unstable home, responsibility for younger siblings, foster care, and eventually separation from part of her immediate family. These events formed the background to the challenges she later faced.
Her adulthood included motherhood, personal loss, legal difficulties, and attempts to find stability. Rather than living as a public celebrity, Ashley’s story has mostly unfolded privately in Ohio.
Ashley Biles Thomas’ Legal Troubles
Ashley faced a significant legal case in 2014 after being stopped by police in Ohio. Prescription pills were discovered in the vehicle, resulting in drug trafficking charges. She pleaded guilty in 2015 and received probation.
Further trouble followed in 2019 when Ashley became involved in an assault case and again received probation. She also faced a separate drug-paraphernalia charge during that period, which was later dismissed.
Her legal history attracted additional attention because of her connection to Simone. What might otherwise have remained a local matter became a subject of wider interest whenever Ashley’s famous family relationship was highlighted.
How Childhood Experiences Shaped Her Journey
Ashley experienced several major disruptions during important developmental years. Her mother’s addiction created instability, while entering foster care removed the children from the home they knew.
She also carried responsibilities for younger siblings before eventually being separated from Simone and Adria. Instead of growing up together in one household, the siblings entered different family environments.
These experiences provide important context for understanding Ashley’s life. Her story developed through family disruption, responsibility, separation, motherhood, and later personal difficulties rather than through the fame associated with the Biles name.
Ashley Biles Thomas’ Height and Appearance
Ashley is described as approximately 5 feet 2 inches tall, which is around 157 centimeters. She does not regularly make public appearances, so comparatively few photographs of her circulate widely.
Her private lifestyle also means her appearance receives far less attention than Simone’s. Ashley does not attend major entertainment or sporting events as a regular public personality.
She appears to prefer keeping her personal image away from widespread attention. This matches the broader way she handles her family, relationships, children, and everyday activities.
Is Ashley Biles Thomas Married?
Ashley has kept her romantic relationships largely private. Details about a current husband, boyfriend, or long-term partner are not part of her widely discussed life story.
One relationship became known through Ashley’s comments about the father of her triplets. She later shared that he had died, making the experience a painful part of her personal journey.
Beyond this, Ashley has not built a public identity around her relationships. Most interest continues to center on her childhood, siblings, children, and connection to Simone Biles.
Ashley Biles Thomas’ Net Worth
Ashley Biles Thomas’ net worth is not known. She does not have the public career, major endorsements, sporting contracts, or entertainment projects that would make her finances easy to estimate.
She is primarily known as a member of the Biles family rather than through a particular profession. Information about her employment history, income, property, and other financial matters is limited.
Her financial life should also be separated from Simone Biles’ success. Simone’s wealth and professional achievements belong to her own career and do not indicate Ashley’s personal financial position.
Where Is Ashley Biles Thomas Now?
Ashley continues to be associated with Ohio, where she spent much of her childhood and adult life. She maintains a low profile and rarely appears in mainstream public discussions.
Her Instagram presence is private, limiting what people can learn about her everyday activities. She also does not regularly participate in interviews or public appearances connected with Simone.
Today, Ashley’s life appears centered more on privacy and family than public recognition. Despite continuing interest in the Biles family, she has largely remained outside her sister’s celebrity world.
Final Thoughts
Ashley Biles Thomas is much more than simply Simone Biles’ older sister. Her life began with family instability, early responsibility, foster care, and eventually separation from some of the siblings she had helped care for.
Adulthood brought a different set of challenges. Ashley became a mother, experienced personal loss, faced several legal problems, and continued living largely outside the public spotlight.
Her journey is very different from Simone’s celebrated gymnastics career. Today, Ashley remains a private member of the Biles family whose life story reflects the complicated experiences shared by the siblings before their paths moved in separate directions.
FAQs About Ashley Biles Thomas
Who is Ashley Biles Thomas?
Ashley Biles Thomas is best known as the older sister of Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. She grew up in Ohio and experienced a difficult childhood before she and her siblings were eventually raised in separate family homes.
How old is Ashley Biles Thomas?
Ashley Biles Thomas was born in 1990. She is 36 years old in 2026. She spent her early years in Columbus, Ohio, and later remained in Ohio after being raised by her great-aunt Harriet.
Are Ashley Biles Thomas and Simone Biles sisters?
Yes, Ashley Biles Thomas and Simone Biles are sisters. They share the same mother, Shanon Biles. They lived together during their early childhood but later grew up in different households and different states.
Does Ashley Biles Thomas have children?
Yes, Ashley Biles Thomas is a mother. She has a daughter named Nacari and has also mentioned having triplets. Ashley keeps her children away from the spotlight and shares few details about their everyday lives.
Where is Ashley Biles Thomas now?
Ashley Biles Thomas lives a private life in Ohio. She stays away from the celebrity spotlight and rarely makes public appearances. Her social media presence is also private, and she mainly keeps her personal life to herself.
