Bethany Hamilton

https://commons.wikimedia.org/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bethany_Hamilton_20070311.jpgA hero is someone who is not afraid to be themselves and to have a positive outlook on things that happen that are bad. Bethany Hamilton is a hero because she is committed and brave. All heroes know that life has a plan, and Bethany knew that life had a plan for her. Bethany Hamilton was born on February 8, 1990 in Kauai, Hawaii. At the age of thirteen, Bethany was bitten by a 14-foot tiger shark on the north shore of Kauai. She continued to be a professional surfer despite her attack which left her with one arm. Her family consists of her mom (Cherilyn), her dad (Thomas), and her two older brothers Noah and Timothy. She also has had a few family dogs over the years. Now a mom of two sons, she is also married to her husband Adam. A hero must possess commitment and bravery. Commitment is a must for a hero because if they don't want to be a hero today and not help people, then people are in danger. Bravery will also be needed for a hero because when something happens the hero can't be afraid; they have to face the problem head on. Commitment and bravery are only a few words to describe Bethany. She is a pro surfer with one arm who got back in the water in three weeks and has won multiple awards for not just her surfing, but her take on life, and therefore, that’s what makes her a hero.

"Committed" to me is defined as never giving up on your dream. Bethany Hamilton is one of the world's best surfers, but she also has one arm. “Despite her injury, Hamilton wanted to surf again right away. However, she first had to recover, and then learn how to balance on a surfboard in a new way. She competed for the first time in early 2004. She finished fifth in her age group at the Open Women's Division of the National Scholastic Surfing Association meet in Hawaii” (Bethany Hamilton 5). Bethany Hamilton has persevered through bumps in the road and has shown people all around the world that you can make a non-ideal situation turn into an amazing situation. Everyone has their dream lives planned out, and for Bethany, it was to be a pro surfer. The biggest bump in her life would hit and her dream turned into a nightmare. Halloween is one of the times where all the superstitions come out; one superstition is bad things will happen. “On October 31, while surfing off of the North Shore of Kauai, Bethany was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark. The shark severed her left arm, just below her shoulder. Three weeks later, Bethany got back on her board, determined to surf again” (“The last word” 2). Superstition would come into effect for Bethany, but only for a few weeks. Bethany has shown that even if life throws a bump in the road, it can turn out to be something amazing. When you have a dream, you will do anything and everything to get to your dream. For Bethany, she reached her dream with hard work and commitment. Bethany Hamilton is committed to making her dream a reality, but also to inspire people to do their dreams on the way.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bethany_Hamilton_surfing.jpgDespite the injury, Bethany continued to be a positive role model, showing that you need to be brave and believe that things can be okay when life doesn't go the way you planned. When you're 13 years old and still finding yourself, it's hard to be brave when you lose your arm, Bethany was one of those people who was happy no matter what. She believed that everything was going to be all right, and everything was. “She eventually returned to competitive surfing and wrote about her experience in an autobiography, Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board” (Stanton). Bethany Hamilton was able to be bitten by a shark, learn surfing all over again but harder, win national championships, and be a role model, never thinking about how bad it is that she only has one arm. Bethany has taken what has happened to her and made it into something that can help build others and to help build her confidence. She has taken on this role of being a role model for being a committed surfer and for being a positive advocate, but also showing you need to be brave during rough times. After losing her arm, Bethany has been doing so much for her community and the world. “Since losing her arm, Bethany's faith has kept her strong and optimistic. She serves as a spokesperson for the Beating the Odds Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping at-risk teens succeed in life” (“The last word” 4). Bethany has said, “Despite the challenges life has thrown at me I’ve done so much more in my life than I ever could have imagined – From out scouring some of the world’s best female surfers, to having movies like Soul Surfer made about me, and going around the world to talk to thousands of amazing people.” Bethany is not only an amazing surfer but is a positive role model for young people everywhere. Bethany Hamilton is a positive thinker and shows people all around the world that you can live out your dream if you focus and are brave and committed to what you're doing.

Showing commitment, and bravery, when things aren't the best, are ways to describe Bethany. A pro surfer with one arm who was so committed to surfing she got back in the water in three weeks and has won multiple awards for not just her surfing but her take on life. Bethany Hamilton is a hero because she shows not only me but other people that you need to be positive and keep your faith to be something amazing. We all have gone or are going to go through something hard in our life, but it's how to do it that makes us who we are. Bethany Hamilton inspires me and others to be the best that we can be despite our differences. “Courage doesn't mean you don't get afraid. Courage means you don't let fear stop you.” Bethany Hamilton is an amazing surfer who shows bravery and commitment to her sport and shows that when something bad happens, you can come out of it at your best.

Works Consulted

Cengage Company. "Bethany Hamilton." Gale Biography in Context, Gale, 2005. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1650004634/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=54c2fbda. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019

Hamilton, Bethany “About.” Bethany Hamilton, BLVR, 2019, bethanyhamilton.com/about/

New moon girls. "The last word." New Moon Girls, Sept.-Oct. 2008, p. 49. Research in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A200722814/MSIC?u=powa9245&sid=MSIC&xid=1595646e. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.

Stanton, Kate. "Bethany Hamilton, surfer and shark attack survivor, welcomes first child." UPI NewsTrack, 15 June 2015. Research in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A418034829/MSIC?u=powa9245&sid=MSIC&xid=dafafdbe. Accessed 26 Apr. 2019.