By the HOPE Team, 7/28/21, positiveexperience.org/blog
Like so many people, we spent part of the weekend transfixed by the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Despite COVID, no crowds, and troubles with the Tokyo organizing committee, the athletes dazzled us with their speed, endurance and grace. In particular, Simone Biles seems superhuman – a woman who seems to defy gravity and performs gymnastic feats that had been thought to be impossible. She wears her past on her body and outfit: her collarbone bears a tattoo with a quote from Maya Angelou: “and still I rise;” her leotards are bedazzled.
Her story offers profound illustrations of HOPE: ACEs, PCEs, and resilience. The New York Times published an insightful article about her life on Sunday July 25th. From the lens of HOPE, here is what we learned:
She has a high ACEs score. Her mother had a severe substance use problem. Simone suffered from food insecurity. Her home life was disrupted when she was placed in foster care. She was sexually abused as a teenager. This is her public story; there may well have been other issues growing up.
She also had several significant positive childhood experiences. At age four, she was adopted by her maternal grandparents, and experienced strong relationships with them and her stepbrother. Her family stood by her through the difficult time of adoption. She felt supported by her friends, in particular she and the other elite women gymnasts. She had many people – her coaches, for example – who believed in her. She seems to have felt safe and protected in her home; she called her grandparents mom and dad.
Photo credit: Marijan Murat - Picture Alliance/Getty Images
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