Olympian Simone Biles is the most decorated American gymnast in history. She recently added one more medal to her count: the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The award is the nation’s highest civilian honor, meant to recognize people who go above and beyond to make the United States or the world a better place.
At 25 years old, Biles is the youngest person to ever receive the Medal of Freedom. U.S. President Joe Biden honored the gymnast for her efforts on behalf of athletes’ mental health and safety, as well as for her support for children in the foster care system. Biles speaks “for those who cannot speak for themselves,” Biden said at the award ceremony in July.
The president also presented Medals of Freedom to 16 other individuals, including civil rights and labor activists, lawmakers, and a nun. “I’m so honored and thankful to be recognized,” Biles wrote on Instagram after the ceremony. “I still have no words.”