Bethany Hamilton

Bethany Hamiltons Book Cover. (sallyseashell.blogspot.com (Noah Hamilton))

It is scary how fast someone's life can change. Bethany Hamilton's life was dramatically changed the day her arm got bitten off by a shark. Bethany was born to a family of surfers on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. With the help of her parents, Thomas and Cherilyn, Bethany learned to surf at a very young age. At age six, Bethany began to enter competitions. On October 31, 2003 while practicing for an upcoming surf competition with her best friend, Alana, Bethany was attacked by a tiger shark that bit her arm off. Her life was dramatically changed from there on out, but with help from her friends, family, and God, Bethany got back into surfing. A hero must be able to fight through hardships, possess strength spiritually to keep them going when they feel like giving up, and be others oriented to show that they care. Bethany Hamilton possesses strength spiritually, she is a fighter, and she is selfless, therefore not only making her an inspiration but a hero too.

Bethany Hamilton's strong faith in God made all the difference in her recovery. After the attack, Bethany stated how she got through the ordeal by saying, "My strength came from my relationship with Christ and from the love and encouragement of my family and friends" (Hamilton, Bethany, Sheryl Berk, and Rick Bundschuh). Bethany's family and particularly strong faith in God helped her through her hardships. Bethany knew her Father would never leave her or forsake her, which is why she had complete peace during and after the shark attack. Having such a strong and reassuring relationship with Christ gave Bethany the hope and strength to persevere not only through the shark attack, but afterwards when she realized how different her life would be. Bethany says that without the help of God, she would not have kept cool when the shark attack happened. Bethany explains, "It was Jesus Christ who gave me peace when I was attacked by the shark. They had to get me to the beach, which took 20 minutes of paddling. 'The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus' (Philippians 4:6-8)" (Hamilton, Bethany). Without her faith in Christ, Bethany's peace would have been an issue during and after the attack, but luckily, God kept her safe and sound on the trip to the hospital and during her recovery. Bethany puts her faith in God and lets Him guide and direct her path. By doing that, she is a successful surfer and mentor today. When Bethany began leaning on God to help her through her hardships, she survived the attack and has inspired millions. 

Bethany Hamilton Surfing After the Attack. (sallyseashell.blogspot.com (Unkown))

One of the main reasons why Bethany is where she is today is because she is a fighter. She fights for what she wants and perseveres through rough times. Bethany explains what happened directly after the attack by stating, "My reaction, Alana has told me, was amazingly matter-of-fact and in control. I just said in a kind of loud yet not panicked voice, 'I just got attacked by a shark,' and started to paddle away with one arm" (Hamilton, Bethany, Sheryl Berk, and Rick Bundschuh). Instead of freaking out and panicking, Bethany simply stated what happened and started paddling to shore. With only one arm in tact, Bethany fought her way back to shore to retrieve help. Unlike most, Bethany stayed calm and did not let her nerves get the best of her. Instead, she decided the best thing to do was get out of the water and to a hospital. Once Bethany started to recover, she decided that she was not going to quit surfing. She got back into the water and started surfing again quickly after she healed. "Miraculously, just one month after the attack, Bethany returned to the water to continue pursuing her goal to become a professional surfer" (Hamilton, Bethany). Instead of fearing the water, Bethany continued pursuing her dream. Bethany also had to completely change the way she surfed since she no longer had two arms. After dedicating herself to not quitting, Bethany found a way that suited her and worked perfectly. No matter how hard it was for Bethany, she always found a way to work around it, that is one of the reasons why she is as successful as she is today.

Bethany is selfless because instead of only focusing on herself after the shark attack, she opened up organizations and foundations in hopes of inspiring others to overcome their troubles. In her book, Bethany writes, "In the end, I'm really proud of what we've written here. I think it's truthful, and I hope it inspires and motivates people to tackle any obstacles in their lives" (Hamilton, Bethany, Sheryl Berk, and Rick Bundschuh). Bethany wants to inspire and encourage anyone who is struggling with anything to persevere like she did. Bethany knows how hard it is to face a fear or work through rough times, so she wants to help as many people as possible in hopes that they can make it out alright. Bethany created her own foundation in hope of helping others. Hawaii weekly states, "Bethany just launched her own foundation, Friends of Bethany, which supports shark attack survivors, traumatic amputees, and serves to inspire others through her life story, and is involved in numerous other charitable efforts" (Hamilton, Bethany). Since Bethany dealt with trauma firsthand, she opened her own foundation to help others going through what she went through. Bethany has opened foundations and websites, wrote a book, and has been interviewed in hopes of inspiring others. Bethany is strong and dedicated and pushes through fears and obstacles to do everything she can to help others.

Bethany Hamilton Visitng The Biggest Loser. (www.examiner.com (Jason Merritt))

Even though certain circumstances are very difficult to deal with, perseverance and support often leads to success. Difficult obstacles are in everyone's lives, what matters is how they are dealt with. Bethany chose to conquer her obstacles with a physically and spiritually strong attitude and by reaching out to others dealing with their own personal obstacles. Bethany Hamilton is an incredibly strong women who has inspired millions to face their struggles instead of run from them. From adjusting to surfing with a missing arm to inspiring millions with her organizations, Bethany has truly become what I can say is a hero. Remember, no matter how big or small one may be, when you have faith in yourself, anything is possible.

                                    Works Consulted

Eglash, Joanne. "Dolvett Shows His Human Side on The Biggest Loser." Examiner.com. 21 Mar. 2012. Web. 17 May 2012.

http://www.examiner.com/article/dolvett-shows-his-human-side-on-the-biggest-loser

Hamilton, Bethany. "About Me." Bethany Hamilton a Soul Surfer, Professional Surfer, Role Model, Inspiration. Collaboration Reverberation, 2010.Web. 04 May 2012. <http://bethanyhamilton.com/about/>.

Hamilton, Bethany, Sheryl Berk, and Rick Bundschuh. Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board. New York: Pocket ; MTV, 2004. Print

Hamilton, Bethany ."ABOUT BETHANY HAMILTON." Global Media Outreach, 2011. Web.08 May 2012. <http://www.soulsurfer.com/about.html>.

Linda Barnard Toronto, Star. "Heroic surfer Bethany Hamilton just doing what I love'." Toronto Star (Canada) n.d.: Newspaper Source. Web. 9 May 2012.

Sallyseashell. "Seashells N' Snowflakes: Soul Surfer." Seashells N' Snowflakes: Soul Surfer. Seashells N' Snowflakes, 23 Mar. 2011. Web. 17 May 2012. <http:sallyseashell.blogspot.com/2011/03/soul-surfer.html>