Shawn Johnson East Takes Daughter Drew, 2, to Meet Her Olympic Gymnastics Coach: 'Beyond Special'

Shawn Johnson East is enjoying a true full-circle moment.

On Monday, the retired Olympic gymnast shared a YouTube video detailing a very sentimental trip she took with her family. Johnson East traveled to Des Moines, Iowa with husband Andrew East and their two kids, Jett James, 11 months, and Drew Hazel, 2, where she took her kids to meet her lifelong gymnastics coach, Liang Chow, at his gym.

In the video, Johnson East, who is joined by her parents and other family members, recalled meeting Chow at the age of 5 and falling in love with gymnastics. She celebrated him and his wife as "some of the most special people in my life" and explained he hadn't been able to meet her little ones sooner because of the pandemic.

Chow was a big hit with the kids, holding Jett as he explored the bars with his mouth and cheering Drew on as she ran around. "It took her a good 30-45 minutes to get warmed up to him," Johnson East said of the toddler and the coach. "And then, they were best friends."

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Drew shined as she began to timidly check out the different areas of the gym, getting more comfortable with time.

"The fun part, once she started warming up, she was just running, zig-zagging all over the gym," Johnson East shared. "She was like 'Mama, beam.' 'Mama bars.' 'Mama trampoline.' 'Mama vault,'" noting Drew "found her happy place" on the trampoline.

"The trampoline made me believe I could fly," Shawn recalled of her own childhood fondness of it. "And that's when I fell in love with the sport."

Johnson East won 16 medals during her Olympic career from 2008 to 2011.

In May, Johnson East and her former NFL player shared the various things they wish they knew before becoming a mom and dad for a PEOPLE and Parents magazine video. Aside from how much harder they'd have to work to prioritize their marriage, the retired Olympian also noted her fears for her overall wellbeing during pregnancy.

"Not to worry so much about how my body was changing before and after kids," Johnson East shared.

"I was terrified of what it would do to me mentally being pregnant," she admitted. "I don't think I've ever appreciated my body more. It was a very freeing feeling. I loved it."