Simone Biles Moves Gymnastics Community to Tears With Latest Gesture Toward ‘Olympic Mom’: “You Were a Light”
It’s often media outlets that chase after athletes to appear for interviews, not the other way around. However, Olympic champion Simone Biles made an exception this time for TODAY Show’s Hoda Kotb. As the veteran reporter said goodbye to the show after 17 years, the Olympic gold medalist wanted to be there to surprise her ‘Olympic mom’ on her farewell.
The heartfelt gesture didn’t just move the 60-year-old to tears but also moved the fans. “Thank you Hoda for being team USA gymnasts’ ‘mom’ and biggest fan. You were a light in one of their darkest times, and you supported, cried alongside, and cheered them to GOLD! See you in LA!” one fan commented on TODAY’s YouTube video.
However, the fan wasn’t the only one who cherished Kotb for the role she played in supporting Team USA’s gymnasts throughout the years. Kotb has been a familiar face to Team USA’s gymnasts for over a decade. In fact, the veteran reporter has seen Simone Biles grow up, which was something the NBC reporter mentioned with tears in her eyes.
“I watched you grow up… watched you go to the mountaintop. I mean, I watched you fall down and get back up again,” Hoda Kotb said in the video, wearing an expression of surprise on her face. It was clear as day that among all the celebrities who dropped in to bid adieu to the 60-year-old, the seven-time Olympic medalist equating her to a mother figure moved Kotb the most.
Giving credence to the fan’s comment, Simone Biles revealed Hoda Kotb helped not just her, but all the gymnasts speak about their vulnerabilities. “She’s like our Olympic mom. I’ve been coming to the Today Show for years and sharing vulnerable stories… Hoda has given us such a great platform to be open and raw and to just feel like a safe space,” said the Olympian.
“Hoda is def the best mom” commented another fan after watching the 27-year-old gymnast honor the veteran reporter. Kotb felt similarly emotional, equating the Olympian’s presence with that of winning an Olympic gold. “I don’t have a gold medal, but this feels pretty doggone good right now,” said Kotb. However, besides celebrating the reporter’s illustrious career on NBC, Biles also dropped a major hint about the future.
Simone Biles’ words revealed what may be in store for Hoda Kotb
“What a nice surprise for her last day,” commented a netizen. While it was the journalist’s last day on NBC, it was not the end of the 60-year-old’s career. It was none other than the seven-time Olympic gold medalist who dropped the hint that Kotb isn’t looking to pull the curtains on her career for the foreseeable future.
Although Simone Biles had shown up to honor Hoda Kotb, the news show host couldn’t help but admire the Olympian’s journey. After praising the eleven-time Olympic medalist, Kotb wished the Olympian the best of luck for her future endeavors, and that’s when Biles dropped the hint. “Hopefully we’re in LA together,” said the world champion, stunning everyone in the room.
In fact, Kotb herself seemed surprised at the gymnastics icon’s declaration. However, moments later Kotb broke into a jig, saying, “We broke news on my last day,” responding to Biles’ comment. Kotb had hinted about starting “something new,” but the WCC gymnast was the one who pinpointed what the report might do by the time the 2028 LA Olympics roll around.
Meanwhile, all the speculation and Kotb’s departure led another fan to make their own guess about the NBC show’s future. “Good Luck to Hoda! Who thinks will replace her? I think it’s going to be Savannah,” theorized the fan. However, NBC is yet to reveal who’ll be sitting in Kotb’s chair moving forward. Finally, one fan simply commented on how unique and moving it was to see Biles surprise Kotb.
“That was really special,” commented the fan. And Biles’s tribute may have been the biggest surprise for Hoda Kotb, there was no shortage of celebrities who celebrated the journalist. Oprah Winfrey, Jamie Lee Curtis, California’s former first lady, Maria Shriver, and Gayle King all paid tribute to the 60-year-old’s contribution to media.
However, when all was said and done, Hoda Kotb once again credited Simone Biles. “When I think about all the things I’ve done here over all the 26 years [on NBC], you’re on top of my list,” said the journalist. So, what did you think of the exchange between the Olympic legend and the star report? Let us know in the comments.