Bethany Hamilton

Bethany 21 years old ((

"I don't need easy, I just need possible." ~soul surfer. Bethany Hamilton was just thirteen years old when she got attacked by a tiger shark. The shark bit her whole left arm off up to her armpit and a bite size chunk from her board. Bethany had to find a way to surf with only one arm and had lots of training to do before entering any competitions. Bethany Hamilton was born on February 8, 1990. Along with her two older brothers she was born and grew up on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Bethany started surfing at age five and at age eight, she began competing in surf contests alone. At age thirteen Bethany was ranked number eight in the world in her age group. Two criteria that each hero must posses are inspiration and selflessness. Bethany Hamilton is not only known as the girl who got attacked by a 15 foot Tiger shark while out surfing with friends, she is courageous, selfless, and morally strong. She did not give up and her passion for surfing kept her positive. While staying positive, she inspired people around the world.

Bethany Standing with her board the shark attacked ((

Bethany Hamilton is considered a hero for hundreds of reasons, but mainly for being courageous and getting back on her board. While she was disabled that did not stop her from what she had a passion for. She was not going to let a shark take that away.  'The main question asked by interviewers in the first weeks after the accident was whether Hamilton would return to surfing. 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." Bethany Hamilton (Biography Today)). Even though Bethany thought she would never be able to surf again because she was injured, she still tried and failed before she succeeded without anyone's help.  Her family helped her with everyday routines around the house and in training. Bethany and her father would go to the beach and take different length boards to practice standing up. She would start with the longest board and once up on that one, she would switch to a slightly smaller board and so on. To help her get out past the white water, her father drilled two holes into her board and put some rope through the holes, to make it easier to go under the waves rather than getting pounded on. On top of trying to be able to stand on her board by herself, she had to deal with the press and how people now looked at her. 'Most troubling for the shy teen was dealing with reactions of others. "Learning how to deal with people and their reactions to my life is one of the most challenging things... people staring at me, people asking. rude questions, dealing with media, stuff like that." Three weeks after her accident, Hamilton was back in the ocean, surfing again, this time with a modified board that made it easier to paddle with one arm.' (Speed, Marie. "Getting back on the board). To get back in the water and back up on the board was difficult but Bethany never gave up, she kept trying no matter how many times failed. All she wanted to do was surf and she eventually did with a little help from family. Some people might have known what happened to Bethany but most people knew was that she got attacked by a shark. It was hard for her, she had to get use to surfing with one arm and all the comments people made about her whether good or bad. Bethany worked so hard and kept trying to get back on her game after that attack. She did not give up and she proved to herself that all she needed to see was that hard work would pay off.

Bethany on her Thailand trip (

After the attack Bethany became closer to her family and god. She went on a mission's trip to Thailand and the whole experience gave her a new insight of how grateful she is to be alive. She kept a good insight on things and learned to help others with the experiences she lived through. 'Despite the shark attack, Hamilton maintained a positive outlook. Her agent/manager, Roy Hofstetter, told Duncan Campbell of Observer Sports Magazine, "The main purpose is... to use her own experience to help others. She wants to talk about women surfing and about her faith. She does not want to be called brave or a heroine or anything, she just wants to be natural with people around the world."' ("Bethany Hamilton." Gale Biography in Context). Bethany gives people a source of comfort when trying helping them because they can see that she has been through a lot since her shark attack. And she taught people never to give up and keep trying. She used her shark attack story to help others see that they can do anything they put their mind to as long as they work hard and keep a positive attitude. Bethany and her family supported ministries and helped with church activities. 'She and her family, in addition, support Compassion International and Spectrum Ministries, among others. ("Bethany Hamilton Charity Work, Events and Causes."). Bethany and her family were involved in many organizations. They helped people that were in need of help and inspired them in the same process. Bethany did go on a mission's trip to Thailand after a tsunami and helped out with the refugee camps, serving people food and nursing their injuries. The attack gave Bethany a clear vision of how she can use what happened to her as an inspiration to others and how she can teach them that when times get rough you should not give up.

Bethany Hamilton is morally strong because she did not give up and she stayed strong with everything that happened to her. As a teenager that got attack by a shark, Bethany stayed strong and she realized that she wanted to keep surfing no matter what obstacles got in her way.  'The Hamilton family attends the North Shore Community Church on Kauai, and her Christian faith has long been one of the touchstones that Bethany relies upon. "All my life is based on God and Jesus," she has said. "If I didn't have them I'd be lost in the world."' ("Bethany Hamilton." Bethany Hamilton (Biography Today)). Bethany and her family had faith in god and they kept that faith even when times got rough and when they did not know what to do. With all the things that happened to her, Bethany stayed strong even when she could have given up. But her passion for surfing drove her to keep trying and training until she could surf perfectly fine with just one arm. Bethany went to god and her family for help and she kept her attitude intact and thought about the most important concepts. 'She did not spiral into self-pity or depression or a lifelong career as a victim. Instead, she connected with the values instilled by her parents. "I focused on the things that were really important to me at that time--my faith in Jesus Christ, my family, being grateful that I was still alive and that I could survive such a traumatic event."' (Speed, Marie. "Getting back on the board). Instead of thinking of the bad things that could have happened to her, Bethany thought of the things she still had in her life and how she was glad that along with her arm she did not get detached from her world. The attack only made Bethany stronger in her beliefs and her self-esteem. The events she experienced have been through will help her prepare for her future obstacles that she will face. Bethany is a hero because she never gave up and she inspired people around the world showing them that they can do anything they put their mind to.

Bethany Hamilton did not give up even though she got attacked by a shark and lost her arm. She learned to surf with a disability and she failed at first, but soon succeeded. In addition to being courageous, selfless, and morally strong, Bethany is a role model to people because she survived a dramatic event but she stayed strong and believed that she could still surf. Bethany Hamilton inspires me and others because she continued to surf even though it was harder for her. She had a disability and she had to work hard to get back into her routine. 'Though her own life has plenty of challenges, Hamilton is using her fame to assist others. She has teamed up with the Christian humanitarian agency World Vision to raise money for disabled children all around the world. Hamilton also hopes that her story will serve as an inspiration. "I am sticking with surfing and following my dream," she said. "I hope people can learn to follow what they want to do and not give up."' ("Bethany Hamilton." Bethany Hamilton (Biography Today)). Bethany used her fame to help others and show people that you can do anything you want as long as you try and do not give up when you fail. '"People can do whatever they want if they just set their heart to it, and just never give up, and just go out there and do it."  Bethany is also a spokesperson for Beating The Odds Foundation) and Foundation for a Better Life. Bethany has been involved with the Women's Sports Foundation, Fair Fund's Jewel Girls program, Walking on Water, Life Without Limbs, Holidays With Purpose and Christian Surfers.' ("Bethany Hamilton Charity Work, Events and Causes."). Bethany showed people that you should not give up when people tell you that you will never be able to do something, and she set an example for people who have disabilities.