HOUSTON -- In North Texas, there are nearly 4,000 children living in foster care.
Many enter the system feeling isolated and unwanted but new there's new hope from an advocate using her incredible story to help 400,000 foster children across the U.S.
WFAA went to Houston to talk with a champion for foster children.
“Hope kids come out and donate pajamas, take pics and make memories," said Simone Biles.
Biles teamed up with Mattress Firm to collect pajamas for foster children.
The most decorated American gymnast is now a role model. Her platform? Helping foster children. She has been there.
"Because I know what it's like because I grew up in foster care," she said.
It was temporary but enough to shape her.
“It opened my heart more to realize how many kids are actually foster care children," she said. "It saddens me to see that."
Her biological mother struggled with substance abuse.
“I don't remember too much," Simone said.
She was just three years old.
“We were just like a little bit confused," she said of when Child Protective Services took her and her three siblings away.
“I'm extremely proud of her accomplishments and hopefully she'll continue on," said Ron Biles, Simone's grandfather.
He and his wife, Nellie, adopted Simone and her younger sister, Adria.
“Parenting is so much better than anything you could ever do," said Nellie Biles.
Simone’s message to them?
“Thank you,” she said as her father teasingly said “you’re welcome.”
You may remember when a sports commentator made headlines during the Olympics saying her grandparents we're not her real parents.
It still stings.
“For someone to say, 'yes, you're adopted but you're not parents,' does not understand the true meaning of parenting,” said Nellie Biles said.
When asked if the comment made her mad she admitted it did but that she dealt with it.
“People say things. I just try not to pay attention," Simone said.
Her story gives hope to children everywhere.
Bailey Franklin, 10, flew in from Detroit to meet her Idol.
“It inspires me to do something like this,” she said about the pajama drive for foster children.
Simone was the little girl with the big muscles.
“It doesn't matter where you come from, it's where you're going," Simone said.
Now, she's a 19 year-old hero teaching a generation how to give back and stay strong.