Bethany Hamilton

(http://www.talbronstein.org/archive/2004_01_bethany_h.htm)

Bethany Hamilton, a name recognized over the nation and across the world. After the incident with the shark attack, Bethany still strives to continue on with her one goal in her life: to become a professional surfer. Being 13 years old, she has already completed many competitions and goals with her surfing career. Now before, and after the attack, she has been an inspiring person. When Bethany believes in herself as much as she does, I feel that she can also inspire people with a loss of a arm or any other body part that could stop them from what they want to do and from fulfilling their dreams. One of the reasons why is that her first time getting up on to a surf board and acually surf was when she was 5-years-old.

Keeps going like nothing happend (http://www.talbronstein.org/archive/2004_01_bethany_h.htm)

Halloween morning, Friday October 31, 2003 nobody saw what was coming. At about 7:30 AM, began as a typically beautiful Hawaii day. At Makua Beach, on the island of Kauai’s North Shore, the water was clear and the waves were relatively gentle. Just as she did most mornings, 13-year-old Bethany Hamilton was surfing with her best friends Alana Blanchard and Alana’s father and brother plus six other surfers practiced nearby. She had thought nothing of it but a 14-foot tiger shark emerged from the water below Bethany, taking a 17-inch-wide bite biting off Bethany’s left arm just below the shoulder. Alana, Bethanys friend remembers that Bethany was "really calm." Alana’s father took quick action. Another surfer handed him a rubber surf leash, which Holt used as a tourniquet.

(http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/West/01/25/surfer.girl.ap/)

Only weeks after she became an arm amputee because of a shark attack while surfing near Tunnels Beach on October 31, she decided to go into the waters again. On January 10 she finally returned to competition and placed fifth in her age group in the Open Women Division of a National Scholastic Surfing Association meet at Banyans. She has been surfing since before she could walk, with both of her parents being active surfers along with her two older brothers.

(http://www.sgmag.com/surf/beth_shark/)

Bethany Hamilton represents a hero within. To relate back to T.S. Barron’s book, A Hero’s Trail, hero within to me would be someone that has compassion and desire. In Bethany’s case, surfing, her faith in God and continuing with her life. She wants to keep going on; with or without an arm. Bethany has faith in herself and God to keep going. She still has gas in her tank even though there’s a leak. She is believes in herself that she can still surf and be a kid, do whatever she wants or needs. Life may be more of a struggle and very challenging, but with determination and desire, Bethany feels that she can go on. When she was in the water during her shark attack she was very calm and wasn’t freaking out, like most of us would be doing in that situation. That is also why I chose her to be a hero within because she didn’t give up and die, she went on and felt that she would make it. Bethany is a very good role model to young and old.

(www.bethanyhamilton.com)

Bethany is recovering well from her shark attack, she is in high spirits. She loves life. Bethany has been surfing since before she could walk, her mom and dad were active surfers along with her two older brothers. She quickly learned how to surf on the beautiful beaches of Makua again.