Bethany Hamilton

"Bethany's dream of becoming a professional surfer was unexpectedly put on hold." ("The last word. (Bethany Hamilton)(Biography).") Bethany and her parents had dreamed of her being a professional surfer since the day she was born, but for a short period, that dream was put off to a hold. Bethany Hamilton was born on February 8, 1990 in Lihue, Hawaii. Her parents, Tom and Cheri Hamilton, were the start of her surfing career. Also Bethany has two older brothers, Noah and Timmy, who are also surfers as well. Her best friend is Alana Blanchard who she had been surfing side by side with since day one. She became apart of the Hanalei Girls' Surf team and later on grew up to become a professional American surfer. Bethany's whole world suddenly went downhill on the morning of October 31, 2003 along Kauai's North Shore in a small area called "The Tunnels." She went out to catch a few waves with The Blanchard family. Hamilton was dangling her arm off of her board for a quick rest, when suddenly a tiger shark had bitten off her left arm. Bethany was left hopeless, caught in the waves with a board, a stub left from her arm, and an ocean of blood surrounding her. A 14-foot tiger shark attacked her left arm, as she was surfing along Kauai's North Shore. But, without the help of Holt Blanchard, Bethany may have not survived the shark's deadly attack. A hero must display faith, determination, and a fearless attitude to be considered an inspirational hero. Bethany Hamilton is a hero because she had a determined mindset, a fearless attitude, and her own faith in herself to recover as quickly as possible so she could reach her ultimate goal of becoming a professional surfer.

Bethany Hamilton is a hero because she stayed faithful to herself, accomplished her dreams, and inspired many people around the world through her unstoppable faith. Bethany knew that in order for her to accomplish her dream of being a professional surfer, she had to gain a whole new mindset and work harder then she ever had before.  "Though Hamilton planned to continue competing, it was unclear whether she would be able to have the pro surfing career she always wanted. The very next year, Hamilton competed in and won the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) National Championships." ("Bethany Hamilton"). Bethany had faith in herself even though she was at her worst. She looked past her accident and made a positive impact through faith to gain confidence to get back on her board to pursue her dream. Soon enough, her dream of becoming a professional surfer became a real life reality. Bethany took advantage and decided to do a good act of kindness. She shared her faithful story with others to allow them to gain faith in themselves when the needed it the most. "Since losing her arm, Bethany's faith has kept her strong and optimistic. She serves as spokesperson for the Beating the Odds Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping at-risk teens succeed in life."("The Last Word (Bethany Hamilton)(Biography)"). Bethany's faith increased as she overcame her misadventure in the water. Her biggest tragedy became the thing that made her stronger then before, along with the mental support from her friends and family. Bethany continues to spread her faith around the world by sharing her story though an organization purposely for at-risk teens so they can succeed and gain the faith they need in their own lives. Bethany Hamilton displays faith within herself, which inspires many to always reach for their dreams and believe in themselves.

Bethany Hamilton is considered a hero because of her fearless attitude. She stayed fearless throughout her recovery, which helped her overcome her tragedy and also she inspires many people to over come their own fears as well. Bethany had doubted herself and her dreams as she struggled to recover. But as soon as her recovery was cleared, she couldn't wait to finally feel the water on her skin again.  "Despite the difficulties, Hamilton wouldn't stay out of the ocean for long. Around Thanksgiving, just four weeks after the accident, she and her family headed for a secluded beach, and she once again stepped into the water. When she was later asked if she had any fear of the ocean, Hamilton said 'I don't feel differently about the water, but I think of sharks more often.' These thoughts didn't keep her off the waves. Just a few moments after wading into the sea, she reached for her surfboard." ("Bethany Hamilton"). Bethany is heroic because her fearless attitude inspired many around the world. After losing an arm, Bethany still looked past the horrible flashbacks, and set out to ride her first wave. Her fearlessness cleared all the doubts in her mind of her not being able to surf, and gave her courage to overcome her fear of sharks, and achieve her goals. Not only did Bethany doubt herself, but other peers did as well. Their words didn't give her fear when she decided to continue surfing.  "Some people thought that I might be afraid to go back in the ocean ever again, But to be honest, I didn't really have any fear of that." (Hamilton 177). The fear of the water never crossed Bethany's mind as she tried to recover from her disastrous catastrophe. She overcame her fears, which led to accomplishing her goals. She knew that her fear would hold her back and stop her from pursuing her goals in life. Bethany had no fear or any worries about what was lurking underneath the water. All her mind was set on was finally being able to continue doing what she loves. She is considered a hero because of her fearless attitude that transformed into a worldwide inspiration.

Bethany Hamilton's determination describes her as heroic because she examples to never give up on your dreams no matter how long or hard it will take to reach them. When Bethany recovered and was fully healed, she knew if she couldn't surf she could try something new, take her experience of surfing, give a positive outlook, and give hope into other people's lives. "She tried snowboarding and began to give motivational speeches about her experience. Hamilton became a media sensation in the United States after her accident, appearing on numerous talk shows." ("Bethany Hamilton") Despite the tragic accident that happened to Bethany, she was still determined to continue and succeed in her career. Even if she was unable to surf again, she was still determined to try a sport similar to surfing, so she can feel the same happiness as she did when she was in the water. She took advantage of her popularity and fame and helped others gain mental determination and taught people world wide to be fearless, brave, and confident. Hamilton looked deep within herself and knew she wouldn't be the person she is if she gave up and quit on something she had worked so hard and long on perfecting. "She vowed that she would. "I'm definitely going to get back in the water," she said. "If I was like a person that just quit surfing after this, I wouldn't be a real surfer." ("Bethany Hamilton") Determination is a heroic trait because it teaches to never give up and always strive to reach what you have ultimately wanted. Bethany knew she was determined to get the water before the doctor allowed her. She couldn't wait until that final moment where she could feel the redemption of riding a wave again. She knew the task was hard to adapt to, but she knew what she had dreamed of and her determination was a stepping-stone to her achievement. Bethany not only inspired herself to never doubt yourself, she also inspired many other people looking for determination in their lives. She is a hero because of her strength and determination to continue her dreams.

A determined mindset, a fearless attitude, and a faithful spirit are the traits Bethany had which make her a hero. She inspires to never give up on your dreams despite how many obstacles will be standing in the way. Bethany also inspires many people to over come their own fears as well, and to forget the past and focus on the positive future ahead. Bethany believed in her own abilities and proved everyone doubting her wrong. She remained faithful to herself, which inspires me to always believe in myself. She also teaches me to be thankful for what life gives to me and has in store. She not only inspires the local people around her, but the whole world too. Bethany shows she is an inspiration by adding in on other organizations to help and inspire other people. Hamilton states that she wants to follow her dream and also encourage people to never give up and follow their dreams too. Bethany is an inspiration to not only me, but to others because she shares many valuable morals through her story, which give helpful confidence to many people around the world. Bethany doesn't want to be credited as a hero, she wants people to see past her incident and recognize her as a natural person. She teaches many people world wide to never be scared and to always achieve your goals no matter how hard you will need to work. That is what a true hero must possess; the determination and fearlessness to push through the hard times and be faithful in what you want to accomplish.

Works Cited

"Bethany Hamilton." Bethany Hamilton (Biography Today) (2010): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 9 May 2014.

"Bethany Hamilton: Charity Work & Causes." Look to the Stars. The World of Celebrity Giving, n.d. Web. 08 May 2014.https://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/bethany-hamilton

"Bethany Hamilton." Gale Biography in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Biography in Context. Web. 9 May 2014.

Hamilton, Bethany. Soul Surfer. New York: MTV / Pocket, 2004. Print

"The last word.(Bethany Hamilton)(Biography)."  New Moon Girls. 16. 1 (Sept-Oct 2008): 49(1). Student Resource Center - Junior. Gale. DEL NORTE HIGH SCHOOL. 9 May. 2014 .