Bethany Hamilton

Bethany Hamilton

My hero is Bethany Hamilton. She was born February 8, 1990. She is my hero because on October 31, 2003 she went surfing with her friend, her friend’s dad and her friend’s brother. In the middle of a wave, a 14 foot Tiger Shark bite her left arm off 4 inches below her elbow. Before she was attacked she had been planning to be a professional surfer. She had been ranked 8th in the world for amateur surfers before she had been bitten. She was going to be a world champion and she probably will still be. Her whole family has always been surfers and involved with surfers.

Bethany rides a wave

She is my hero because she overcame being bitten by a shark and went back to surfing all in the same month! She was in a lot of danger when the shark bit her arm off. She was very brave to try to swim back to shore while she was bleeding. I think it helped her to become a better surfer after she was attacked because it helped her to know she could overcome anything. Then after she had gotten better she competed in her first competition in January of 2003. She was allowed to swim out five minuets before the other surfers for her heat. But she refused the special treatment

She placed 5th in the women’s open cup in the division in January of 2003. She thought that was a pretty good start. Everyone was very surprised when she finished 5th in the 2004 NSSA national surfing championship only 8 months after the attack. Since then, Bethany has finished many other heats and has won. In August of 2004 at the first event of the Hawaii NSSA circuit she took first place in the women’s division placing ahead of the 2003/04 National Champion Carrisa Moore. She dominated the 2005 NSSA National Championship taking first in the Explorer Women’s Division. She continues to compete in the most challenging waves in the world.

She has chosen to use her experience to help other people overcome hard problems no matter how hard they are for her and the people she helps. "One thing hasn’t changed... how I feel when I’m riding a wave," says Bethany. Bethany said that it hasn’t changed when she’s riding the waves because she loves surfing and she loves being in the water. She was voted Chairperson of Beating The Odds Foundation. This foundation was made to help children of America overcome hard times in life. Their goal is to get the BTO program in all the schools across America. She became a board member and sports member for the World Vision International in 2004. The World Vision International is a Christian relief and development organization that is working for the well being of people especially children. In July of 2004 she won an ESP award for best comeback athlete.

She is my hero also because she helps many people overcome hard things. She helps them by encouraging them to overcome their fears and help them do things that are hard for them to do. Other ways she is my hero is because she won’t take any special treatment during her surfing competitions. She doesn’t want any special treatment because of her arm. She is a great person to be so brave to swim to safety. She is one of the bravest people I have read about. That is why she is my hero.