Bethany Hamilton
Soul Surfer
Her Story
Bethany Hamilton grew up in Hawaii and was an aspiring professional surfer. On the morning of October 31, 2003 she was attacked by a tiger shark. It took off her left arm and she lost over 60% of her blood. Because of her optimism and dedication, she was able to begin surfing just a month later. That January she placed 5th in a competition and showed everyone that she was a tough competitor.
Shark
The tiger shark was over 14 feet long.
Hospital
Bethany had to undergo many different surgeries.
Recovery
She continued practice and strived to reach her goal as becoming a professional surfer.
Bethany's Faith
Bethany became a Christian when she was five years old. She had been very involved with her youth group and had a very strong belief in God. This is one of the reasons she looks at the accident as a blessing instead of a disability. She says it gives her a chance to share her faith with others. A Bible verse that really came into play during her recovery was Matthew 28:20 which says "I am with you always."
Future Plans
Bethany met her husband, Adam Dirks, through a friend in the spring of 2012. They got married August 2013 in Hawaii. Adam is a youth minister and was working with kids while they met. Bethany's future plans still are on making a name for herself in professional surfing, but says that eventually she wants to settle down and have a family in Kauai.
Resources
Hamilton, Bethany, Sheryl Berk, and Rick Bundschuh. Soul Surfer. New York; MTV, 2004. Print.
Soul Surfer. Dir. Sean McNamara. Perf. AnnaSophia Robb, Helen Hunt, Dennis Quaid. TriStar Pictures, 2011. DVD.