Bethany Hamilton

Bethany Hamilton has been surfing ever since she was a little kid. she was raised on the beach, she lives in Hawaii and she loves it. She is a professional surfer and inspires a lot of people with this amazing story Ii'm about to tell you. One day Bethany Hamilton was getting ready for a surfing match. She was practicing surfing with her best friend Alana Blanchard and Alana's brother and dad. Bethany and Alana were out away from Alana's dad and brother. Bethany was feeling the water with her arm and a shark came jumping out of the water and bit her left arm off. Bethany said, "I got bit by a shark I got bit by a shark." Alana's dad came swimming over. They rushed Bethany out of the water and headed to a reef. They put Bethany on her board and wrapped Alana's dad's rash guard over her arm to stop the bleeding. Alana's brother rushed to their car to call the ambulance and they got Bethany and rode to the hospital. Bethany didn't faint yet, not until she got to the hospital. She lost 60% of her blood. When Bethany woke up she didn't say anything but moved her right arm over to check if she had an arm. She wasn't shocked when she realized she lost her arm. It was a struggle for her to live without an arm but she had a family to help her.

After a little bit of time she wanted to go back in the water to surf and she practiced so much so that she could surf in the competition and as soon she was ready she got into the water and started paddling into the deep water and a big wave came and her surfboard was cut in half. She got someone to get her out of the water and that's when she gave up and headed to the car with her family. Then three girls walked up to her and asked for her autograph but instead she gave them her surfboard. Her dad wanted her to keep trying but she didn't want to. She gave up on surfing until she had a talk with her dad and decided to start surfing again. She practiced a lot and was ready for another competition. Everyone was out in the water. Whe was ready. A few good waves came but then all of a sudden nothing came. The water was still and she waited. She slowly put her hand in the water and started paddling farther away. No one understood why. there was nothing there and then a wave, a big wave, the biggest in the competition, really big, and she got it  It was her moment. She was surfing on a giant wave with one arm. She was so happy. The crowd was cheering, her family was proud of her and she learned as she said, "Life is a lot like surfing. When you fall you just have to get back up again" and she came in third place she but that was really good. She is now still a professional surfer and has a child and a happy life.