What you need to know
Jordan Childs’ parents, Timothy and Gina Childs, played a big role in her career.
As she explained on USA Gymnastics’ website, when the Olympic gold medalist was young, her parents couldn’t stop her from “doing cartwheels down the aisle in the square,” so they decided to send her to gymnastics classes. Years later, Jordan continued to win numerous honors with Team USA, including winning a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics.
Over the years, Timothy and Gina have been by her side every step of the way.
Jordan told NBC Sports in June 2021 that his mother is “literally my life. I love her to death.” “She is my best friend and I cannot thank her enough for everything she has done for me. The love and support she has given me is 1000 percent out of this world.”
Jordan is currently competing on Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars, dedicating a Viennese waltz to his father. “He was there for me through the thick and thin,” she explained in a TikTok video ahead of the Dedication Night episode.
From their ministry to how they raise their five children, here’s everything you need to know about Jordan Chiles’ parents, Timothy and Gina Chiles.
they are pastors
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Timothy and Gina are senior pastors at the Houston campus of Away to His Word Worship Center. Timothy grew up as a pastor with his father, then became a music minister and eventually earned his license.
Gina married Timothy in 1994 and later joined Timothy in his ministry and became a pastor herself.
Gina and Timothy have five children
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The couple has four children besides the youngest, Jordan. Their eldest, Jazmine, runs a beauty salon called Jazmine Dominique’s Hairgolds and travels a lot with Jordan as a make-up artist.
My second daughter, Jade, is a mother of two young daughters and an event planner. She has her own company and interior design studio.
Jordan also has two older brothers, Tajmen and Tyrus, who live in seclusion. Jordan, who grew up as a professional athlete, told Teen Vogue in a July 2024 profile that she knows her family has sacrificed a lot to get her to where she is today, which led her to buy a home for her parents.
“My family had to sacrifice a lot, especially my brothers, who took me to the gym and did a lot of things for me,” she told the outlet. “It’s been that way my whole life. But now I try to avoid all that attention. When I was younger, I was the center of it, but now I want to give that attention to other people.”
Gina named her after Michael Jordan
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Jordan said her mother “literally loves sports.” He told KOIN in March 2018. Gina even named her daughter after one of the greatest basketball players in history, Michael Jordan.
“She felt the inspiration that he gave her, and it was really big and beautiful,” the Olympian told PEOPLE in 2023. ”
Jordan added that he would like to meet his namesake someday, who helped him “find motivation” in his sport.
“I’m looking forward to actually meeting him and getting some advice on who he is and what he has to offer,” she said.
Gina moved to Texas with Jordan
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When Jordan realized she was stagnant and was considering leaving competitive gymnastics, she made a life-changing decision. The young athlete moved to Spring, Texas, where he and teammate Simone Biles trained at the gym’s World Champions Center with coaches Cecil and Laurent Lundy.
Gina transitioned with her daughter, leaving Timothy and her four older children at home in Washington. The mother of five admitted that being away from her family for long periods of time was difficult, but Jordan’s athletic development required sacrifices.
“She doesn’t ask for anything gymnastics-wise,” Gina told Clark County Today in July 2021. “This is what she asked: ‘If you’re 100 percent sure, we’ll do whatever we can to support that.'”
“We try not to go for more than three weeks,” she added of the cost of her separation from Timothy. “I love that guy. He loves me. It’s hard, but it’s worth it. Jordan is the baby of five kids. Our kids are growing up, getting older, living their own lives. They support Jordan 100 percent.”
Gina wrote a children’s book
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In 2018, Gina wrote a children’s book about her youngest child, Dream Big Little Chick, which was published in 2020. Little Chick begins his journey out of curiosity about his future and tries out different activities. In the end, she decides to become a “high-flying gymnast” and aims to compete in the Animal Olympics.
Chick is the Chili family nickname after the character “Chicken Little”. Although this story is based on Jordan’s gymnastics journey, Gina hoped the message would inspire others.
“It’s based on Jordan, but I was really thinking about little kids with dreams of their own, especially when it seemed like things weren’t always going to come true,” Gina told NBC Sports.
they are her big fans
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Timothy and Gina are always present at Jordan’s conventions. Although the patriarch is not very active on social media, his posts often feature him and his wife supporting their daughter at various events. Gina congratulated her daughter on her “incredible journey” after Jordan secured a spot on the US Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“My favorite part was watching you grow and fight for your dreams,” she wrote in a July 2024 Instagram post. “It was hard and unpleasant, but you trusted God, yourself and your coach. Instead of giving up, you tried harder.”
Gina also praised her daughter for overcoming some difficult losses in her life, particularly the deaths of her grandfather and aunt.
“You made them proud, chick, you took them on. I know you wanted a part 2, a form of redemption, and now you can do it with your best friend and both coaches! You all earned this moment! That girl is headed to the AH Olympics! I love you!!!❤️,” she wrote.
Gina is also willing to defend her daughter online. Toward the end of the 2024 game, she spoke out about the “racist and disgusting comments” Jordan had received recently.
In a message shared on X (formerly Twitter), Gina wrote: “These disgusting racist comments are still going on in 2024. I’m tired of people saying they don’t exist anymore.” “My daughter is a decorated Olympian with the biggest heart and an unparalleled level of sportsmanship…and yet she is being talked about so badly.”