A Truly Inspirational Story of the World’s Most Courageous One-Armed Surfer
Bethany Hamilton has become a source of inspiration to millions through her story of faith, determination, and hope.
Born into a family of surfers on February 8, 1990, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, Bethany began surfing at a young age. At the age of 8, she won both the short and long board divisions in her first surf competition.
At the age of thirteen, on October 31, 2003, Bethany was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing off Kauai’s North Shore.
The attack left Bethany with a severed left arm. After losing over 60% of her blood, and making it through several surgeries without infection, Bethany was on her way to recovery with an unbelievably positive attitude.
Miraculously, just one month after the attack, Bethany returned to the water to continue pursuing her goal to become a professional surfer.
Bethany has grown from a young teenage girl with aspirations of becoming a professional surfer into a professional surfer with aspirations of becoming a beacon of inspiration and hope.
Through the platform of professional sport, Bethany has been able to touch a large number of people with her message, charitable efforts, and overall spirit.
Bethany has her own foundation, Friends of Bethany, which supports shark attack survivors, traumatic amputees, and serves to inspire others through her life story, and is involved in numerous other charitable efforts.
In early 2012, Hamilton met Adam Dirks through mutual friends.
They became engaged in April 2013, and married on August 17, 2013 in Kauai, Hawaii.
Since the attack, she has been a guest on numerous television shows. Her manager Roy “Dutch” Hofstetter, who went on to produce the film “Soul Surfer”, managed Bethany’s rise through the media from “shark attack victim” to “inspirational role model”.
In 2004, MTV Books published Hamilton’s book, Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board.
On April 8, 2011, a feature film Soul Surfer, based on her 2004 book, was released.
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