Simone Biles, the 7-time Olympic medalist and youngest-ever recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, recently experienced a mix-up on board a flight. A flight attendant mistakenly assumed she was a child and offered her a coloring book.
The 25-year-old gymnast shared her experience on Instagram Stories, along with a selfie showing her disbelief. She wrote: “Not the flight attendant trying to give me a coloring book when I board…I said ‘no I’m good I’m 25.’”
Biles was returning from Washington D.C. after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden during an emotional ceremony at the White House last week. Biles is now tied with Vitaly Scherbo for the most decorated Olympian in history, having won 32 medals across World Championships and Olympic Games.
Not only did the flight attendant mistake Biles’ age but another crew member also questioned if she was old enough to have an alcoholic drink after offering her mimosa – despite her being one of only 16 people in American history to receive such a high honor from the President himself.
The post has gone viral on Twitter, with users finding it humorous yet shocking at the same time. One user wrote: “[I]’m crying at the thought of a flight attendant giving Simone Biles [sic], the most decorated gymnast in history, a coloring book because she is 4 foot 8”.
It is clear that even for someone as accomplished as Simone Biles, age can be difficult to discern based solely on appearance – something we can all learn from this situation!
Video: Simon Biles Mistaken for a Child by Flight Attendant
Check out this news report from ACCESS to see the story in action:
Simone Biles has become a global icon not only for her incredible achievements as an athlete, but also for her inspiring attitude and resilience throughout her career. This story is just another example of how everyone can learn from her With such high levels of success, Simone Biles continues to make history and inspire people around the world. We can’t wait to see what she does next!