Miriam Sytsevich was the mother of Aleksei Sytsevich, the infamous superpowered criminal known as the Rhino. Aleksei paid for Miriam and his niece, Alexa to come to America from Russia, and move into the Bertram housing project in Manhattan, New York. He intended to gather enough funds to bring the rest of his family over as well. When Miriam's apartment was robbed, Alexa lost the locket given to her by her mother. As the Rhino, unbeknownst to his mother and niece, Aleksei coerced the name of the robber, Sammy the Looper, from a local bartender. The Rhino confronted Sammy at Neon Joe's Pool Hall, and retrieved Alexa's locket. Miriam didn't believe her son's claims that he obtaining a sack full of cash from the robbers as "restitution." Calling him a thief, Miriam kicked her son out of her apartment, disowning him until he changed his ways. While the Rhino continued to engage in a life of crime, Miriam passed away.