Recently it was announced that Simone Biles, gymnastics superstar and winner of multiple gold medals at the Rio Olympics, was adopted by her grandparents. Many have been pleasantly surprised by this story but may not fully understand the beauty of adoption and how it can transform people’s lives.

Each year an estimated 130,000 people are adopted in the United States. These children often have strong bonds with their adoptive parents, relationships sometimes even greater than you and I have with our mom and dad. After reading through these stories of adopted celebrities, parents who have chosen to adopt, and an "ordinary" girl with some extraordinary insight on the adoption process, I hope you will better understand the power of adoption and the amazing impact it can have on children and their families.

CELEBRITIES YOU NEVER REALIZED WERE ADOPTED

Simone Biles

After living with her single mother, who was unable to take care of her, and spending time in foster homes, Simone Biles was sent to live with her grandparents. Her grandparents eventually adopted her and her sister and have supported her throughout life and her amazing gymnastics career. When people recently began asking her numerous tough questions about her grandparents/adoptive parents, Simone simply responded “my parents are my parents and that’s it.”

Nancy Reagan

When Nancy Reagan was little she was sent by her single mother to live with her grandparents and later returned to live with her mom after she remarried. Nancy’s bond with both her mother and new stepfather quickly grew, and her stepdad eventually became her father after adoption papers were signed. According to the former president’s wife, even though Loyal Davis became her legal father when she was 14, “he emotionally became her father much earlier than that.”

Faith Hill

This singer is known well by many country music fans, but years before winning 5 Grammies and 15 CMA awards, Faith Hill was adopted as an infant. According to Hill, she is not disappointed by her birth mother’s decision to give her up. “I have a lot of respect for my birth mother. I know she must have had a lot of love for me to want to give me what she felt was a better chance.” Throughout her music career, she has continued to credit her adoptive family for giving her a sense of stability and a strong foundation.

Michael Oher

Almost everyone has seen The Blind Side, a movie based on the real-life story of Michael Oher. After his birth mother struggled to take care of him, he was sent to various foster homes before meeting the Tuohy family. The Tuohy’s encouraged Michael to develop his talents in both basketball and football and reach his full academic potential. After being adopted by the family, he went to the Tuohy’s alma mater, Ole Miss, to play football. Just a few months ago he helped the Carolina Panthers make it to the Superbowl.

Dave Thomas

When he was just six months old, the founder and former CEO of Wendy’s was adopted by a family in Michigan. Growing up his father and grandparents instilled in him several values, including the idea that “hard work is good for the soul.” After gaining experience in the restaurant industry by managing several KFC franchises, he opened the first Wendy’s, home of fast food hamburgers and chocolate Frosties. Thomas never forgot the impact his adoptive family had on his life and created the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a non-profit organization that helps foster care children find permanent homes.

FAMOUS MOMS WHO CHOSE TO ADOPT

Jamie Lee Curtis

Everyone knows Jamie Lee Curtis from her various acting roles and her numerous appearances on Activia yogurt commercials, but many don’t realize that she has two adopted children, Annie and Thomas. Her bestselling book, “Tell Me Again about the Night I Was Born,” celebrates adoption and has been a helpful tool for several families.

Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock is known for her roles in The Blind Side, Miss Congeniality, and Gravity and for being one of the most down-to-earth movie stars. She’s also the adoptive mother to two young children, Louis and Laila. According to Bullock, “the exact right children came to her at the exact right time.”

Meg Ryan

Meg Ryan was one of the most beloved Hollywood actresses during the 1990’s and starred in several romantic comedies, including “Sleepless in Seattle.” She adopted a young Asian girl in 2006 and is “completely convinced that there was nothing random about the adoption” and that Daisy was destined to be her daughter.

Angelina Jolie

The actress and movie producer has publicly promoted adoption and has three adopted children of her own, Maddox, Zahara, and Pax, from foreign countries. She was able to save each of them from bad living situations in hope of improving their lives. After adopting her first son, Maddox, in 2002, she realized she could “give him so much” and “could no more imagine living without him than not breathing.”

AN "ORDINARY" GIRL WITH EXTRAORDINARY STORY

Sarah Hancock

“I was adopted when I was seven days old by the most loving family in the entire world. For as long as I can remember I have always known that I was adopted. To me, just because I’m adopted doesn’t mean my family isn’t my family, and why shouldn't they be considered my only family? My family has taught me everything I know and raised me. I truly believe that nothing and no one could ever make me think otherwise. I wouldn’t want to have anyone else as my family, and I’m so blessed they picked me.

‘Do you ever want to meet your birth family?’ I get asked that question all the time, and I can honestly say that I don't want to meet them. I know somewhere out there I have a birth mother, a birth father, a birth sister, and maybe even some other siblings. As of right now, I could not be happier to be a Hancock, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Being adopted has made me a stronger person and for that I will always be thankful. What I’m even more grateful for is that I was lucky enough to be adopted by a family that loves me 100 percent.”