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Bethany before the attack (http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bethany-hamilton-pretty-surfer-who-178285 () ()) |
Getting Back on Board
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The shark that attacked Bethany (http://www.polyvore.com/shark_that_bit_bethany_hamilton/thing?id=33185611 ()) |
Hamilton is a hero because she is tough and a fighter. She survived what should have been a fatal attack because she was focused on what she needed to do at that moment, and that was keeping herself alive. Her love for surfing also led her back onto her board despite all the obstacles she had to face. "My reaction, Alana 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...one thought kept repeating over and over in my head: 'Get to the beach. Get to the beach.'" (Soul Surfer). Bethany was so calm and collected that she was able to comprehend what was going on without freaking out. She did not scream or cry after she had realized what happened. After being rushed to the hospital and having surgery the only thing Bethany could focus on was getting back on her board and out in the water. "The list of what Bethany will have to do differently is long; the list of what she will be unable to do is short" (Soul Surfer). Bethany would have to change many things in her life. Losing her arm would mean a lot. She would have to do things a lot differently and she would lose a lot of her independence. But, despite this huge challenge, there was hardly anything that she wouldn't be able to do. The doctor knew this firsthand because he knew of Bethany's mental strength, willingness and perseverance.
Bethany is a hero because, even after being attacked by a shark, she never lost faith. Before losing her arm, Bethany was a very strong believer in God. She always prayed before she got in the water and was a regular at her church. After losing her arm to the shark nothing between her and her faith changed. In fact it got stronger, because Bethany never got angry with why such a horrible thing happened to her. She just wondered why. "I have this thought every second of my life: 'Why me?' Not necessarily in a negative way...But more 'Why did God choose me and what does He have in mind for me?'" (Soul Surfer).She never whined and complained about why such a horrible thing happened to her, she looked on the positive side and accepted the fact that what had happened, happened. She looked beyond it and thought of what she should do about it. After getting attacked, Bethany was rushed into an ambulance. The ride to the hospital was around forty five minutes and the only person by her side during that long trip was the paramedic. While sitting by her side he talked to her. "I remember most clearly what the Kauai paramedic said to me: He spoke softly and clearly and held my hand as we were pulling out of the Tunnels parking lot. He whispered in my ear, 'God will never leave you or forsake you' He was right." (Soul Surfer). Bethany has an exceptional faith in God. Even though she was attacked and suffered a potentially career-ending injury, she was never angry with God and she continues to trust in Him. While she was in the ambulance on that long car ride to the hospital she continuously had faith in Him and trusted that she was in good hands. When the paramedic said that, Bethany was given an extra push to believe that He would take care of her.
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Bethany Hamilton back in the water (http://www.grindtv.com/athlete/bethany-hamilton/ ()) |
Another reason why Bethany is a hero is because she never complains and uses the position she has been put in to be a source of inspiration for others facing challenges the way she is. Before she was able to help others Bethany needed to help herself. There was a time when she did not know what to do. She had been given an opportunity to share her story and inspire others, but it took a visit with a blind psychologist to help her to open her eyes and mind to see that. "'... Bethany,' he said. 'But I think that I am actually able to do more good being blind than I was able to being able to see. I prefer to stay this way.'...I get it and I feel the same way. I think I may be able to do more good having one arm than when I had two." (116).After being seen by a blind psychologist, Bethany learned that she could use her situation to her advantage and do some good in the world with all the media she had been attracting. It took a blind man to open her eyes and help her see the advantage that came with what had happened to her. She realized that she could inspire others who were in a similar situation as her to feel better about themselves and to never lose their faith in God. Bethany did not question why something that terrible happened to her but she accepted it and asked herself what she was going to do about it and how she was going to use it to her advantage. "Since losing her arm, Bethany's story has been told in hundreds of media outlets and she has been recognized with numerous awards, public appearances, and various speaking engagements." Bethany has made the best out of her situation, and she is a source for strength and inspiration.
Bethany is a strong girl who continuously has faith in God even through the toughest of times. She is a fighter who inspires people to keep going even after they have faced hardships, This is why she is a hero. This is why she is my hero. Hamilton was at the peak of her career, even at only thirteen years old she had her whole future ahead of her. When that shark attacked her that could have very well been the end of it. She could have given up, quit, and never looked twice at a board again. It took Bethany an incredible amount of courage to get back out in the water, fully aware of what could be out in those deep waters of Kauai. I have played a sport nearly my whole life, and it is a sport I fell in love with as soon as I started playing. Volleyball occupies a lot of my time and has turned into my top priority. If I ever seriously injured myself while playing my first thought would be "When is the next time I'll be able to play?" That is why I understand what Bethany felt when she felt the need to get back on her board and out in the water so soon. Hamilton is an inspiration to me because many people give up so easily, but she never gave up. She was always on her feet working to improve her health and helping herself to be able to get back out in the water. Bethany can show, and has shown, many people that no matter what they think, there is always a way. There is always a way to keep going, to never stop doing what you love, to keep fighting, and to get back on board.
Works Cited
"Bethany Hamilton." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 05 Sept. 2012. Web. 10 May 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethany_Hamilton.
"Bethany Hamilton." Bethany Hamilton (Biography Today) (2010): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 8 May 2012
Page created on 6/21/2012 11:56:06 AM
Last edited 6/21/2012 11:56:06 AM