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Bethany Hamilton

by Madison from San Diego

 (http://walkingonwater.com/2009/02/bethany-hamilton ())
(http://walkingonwater.com/2009/02/bethany-hamilton ())

"Each year there are about 50 to 70 confirmed +shark attacks and 5 to 15 shark-attack fatalities around the world"("Shark Facts"). One person who encountered a traumatizing attack like this is Bethany Hamilton. Bethany Hamilton was born on February 8, 1990 and grew up in Hawaii to a family where both God and surfing played a huge part in their lives. Bethany was especially a great surfer and began competing at a young age. On Halloween morning she went surfing when a Tiger Shark bit her left arm off. Bethany struggled to learn how to live a life with one less arm. A hero, like Bethany Hamilton, is a person who is faced with challenges in their lives, but do not let those things get in the way of what they want to achieve. Bethany Hamilton is a true hero who faced an incredible struggle and used both her determination and her faith in God to allow her to achieve her dreams.

 (http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=7599149 ())
(http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=7599149 ())

Bethany Hamilton is an incredibly determined person, who never lets anything get in the way of what she wants. In the article "Bethany Hamilton," the author makes this idea clear when she states, "Despite her injury, Hamilton wanted to surf again right away. However, she first had to recover, and then learn how to balance on a surfboard in a new way. Hamilton began surfing again about three weeks later, and competed for the first time in early 2004. She finished fifth in her age group"("Bethany Hamilton"). Bethany Hamilton did not let her injury get in the way of her dreams. However, Hamilton got right back up and learned to deal with the problem she faced. She had an amazing amount of perseverance and began to compete again. Just three weeks later she competed again and went on to place fifth in the major competition. The idea that Hamilton contained an incredible amount of persistence can also be found in another article, titled "Bethany Hamilton-Soul Surfer" when it says, "In January of 2004, Bethany made her return to surf competition, placing fifth in the Open Women's division. With no intention of stopping, Bethany continued to enter and excel in competition. Just over a year after the attack she took first place in the Explorer Women's division of the 2005 National Scholastic Surfing Association National Championships-winning her first National Title."("Bethany Hamilton - Soul Surfer"). Bethany Hamilton was so determined to achieve her dreams and not let her handicap get in the way, that she got right back on the board. She was not willing to just give up , instead she forgot about the problems she faced and gave it all she had. A little over a year after the attack she placed first in Nationals. Most people wouldn't even think about getting back on the board a year after, but Bethany was not willing to stop. Hamilton is a truly determined person and stops at nothing to make her dreams become a reality.

 (https://www.pinterest.com/rachess06/soul-surfer/ ())
(https://www.pinterest.com/rachess06/soul-surfer/ ())

Bethany remained strong in her faith and did not allow anything to change what she believed in. This idea is evident in Bethany Hamilton's autobiography, Soul Surfer, when Bethany explains her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, she says, "'When people ask me what my faith in Christ means to me, I usually answer in just one word: 'everything!' This was true before the shark attack and after'"(Hamilton 134). Bethany did not let the fact that she got attacked by a shark affect how she viewed her relationship with God. She thought about him the same way before the attack and after. He is everything in her life and that is what it truly means to be faithful. This idea is also evident in another article written by Lucia Viti. Bethany claims, "'My faith is the core of who I am... My faith gives me strength and a love for life - including its adversities. I trust that God has a bigger plan that's not just about losing my arm to a shark. It's exciting to know that by being who I am and all that I've been through, I've had a positive impact on those who need to overcome an obstacle to accomplish a goal"(Viti). Bethany Hamilton demonstrates how strong her belief was even after all of the things she had gone through. Most people going through this would have their faith shaken, but not Bethany. She remain confident that God is in control of all things. Bethany Hamilton is an amazing women in God and did not allow a bad thing in her life to shake her faith.

Hamilton faced a huge obstacle however, she used her faith in God and determination to not let the bump in the road affect the person she became. Bethany Hamilton, after recovering, got right back on her board. She did not allow losing an arm get in the way. Rather she used her belief in God and her persistence to help her achieve her goal of becoming a professional surfer. Bethany Hamilton is a true inspiration in my life. She shows me that nothing can get in your way if you want to achieve your dreams, not even losing a limb. Hamilton also made me realize that no matter what problems you face, God will always be there to help you through them, he will never abandon you. I know realize that I God can use anything that is happening in my life to achieve his plan for me. In my eyes, Bethany Hamilton is a true hero, and nothing can ever change that. 


Works Cited


"Bethany Hamilton." Gale Biography in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Biography in Context. Web. 1 May 2015.

"Bethany Hamilton - Soul Surfer."Bethany Hamilton - Soul Surfer. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 May 2015. <http://soulsurfer.com/>

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 Books, 2004. Print.

"Shark Facts: Attack Stats, Record Swims, More." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 12 May 2015. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/06/0613_050613_sharkfacts.html>

Viti, Lucia. "Bethany Hamilton. (Cover Story)." American Fitness 31.4 (2013): 32-34. Health Source - Consumer Edition. Web. 4 May 2015





Page created on 5/20/2015 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 5/20/2015 12:00:00 AM

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