Bethany Hamilton

"I don't want people looking to me for inspiration. I just want to be a sign along the way that points to Heaven" Bethany Hamilton. Bethany Hamilton was not always a great surfer. In fact, she only got great at it after the accident. Bethany was born on February 8th, 1990 in Kauai, Hawaii, U.S.A. She loves to surf, play the guitar, and go to church with her friends and family. Today, she is happy to be who she is in her beautiful, Hawaiian home.

Childhood
Bethany Hamilton grew up in a Christian family. She has 2 older brothers who would always play around and challenge her. Her dad and mom, Tom and Cheri Hamilton, loved to surf which influenced Bethany to love it too. On October 31st, 2003, Bethany went out surfing with her best friend Alana Blanchard, and their parents. That night, out on the water, a shark swam up and bit off Bethany's left arm. She almost died that day by losing 60% of her blood.

Life in the Present
Bethany Hamilton now lives in Hawaii with only one arm. After all the surgeries as a pre-teen, she is now living a happy, healthy life in Hawaii. She still loves to surf, but she still has troubles along the way. Now, she is used to living with only one arm and is used to having people help her with a few things.

The Future
The future for Bethany will have troubles. She knows she will struggle along the way, but she will continue to trust and love her Heavenly Father. Bethany knows He would not have given this heartache to her if she could not handle it. So she is fine with all the heartaches that have and will come her way.

Bethany Hamilton is my hero. She is because she stood strong through her struggles and persevered in all her heartaches. She taught me that even in hard times, you need to stand strong and pull through it.
By Jessica