Although the relationship between Simone and her parents is great now, Nellie admitted during the Facebook Watch docuseries Simone vs. Herself that it took some time for her and Simone to bond. “I remember praying for that bonding,” Nellie said. “Because telling them that you love them and you care for them; that’s all words.

"But then you wake up one day, and you realize that you would do anything for these children," she continued. "And that you would die for these children. And when that feeling comes, that’s when you know you are truly a mother."

Although Nellie and Ronald couldn't be with Simone in Tokyo, they've offered plenty of support via social media, and Simone made it clear that she wasn't happy to be leaving them behind.

"Not me crying on the plane because I’ll miss my family & friends," she wrote as she left for Tokyo. Now that she's done with the Olympics, she can return to the family and friends she left behind. Throughout the Tokyo Games, Simone has proven that there are things more important than affirming your greatness. She's prioritized her own well-being and shown the world that athletes are not required to perform for anyone else's amusement.