Bethany Hamilton by Emelin G.

 

Bethany Hamilton is an American professional surfer who suffered a great loss after a shark attack. And as result of that, the shark took her left arm right off. Authorities did find it in a mouth of a shark with a surfboard and debris. But it’s not the shark attack that made her, it was the fact that after the shark attack, she still returned to professional surfing.

Bethany Hamilton was born February 8, 1990, in Lihue, Kauai, Hawaii. Being raised in a surfing family, along with 2 older brothers, she learned how to handle the waves at an early age. According to the site “biography.com” and “britannica.com,” it says that she started competitive surfing at the age of 8 and by the age of 9 she won her first sponsorship. A member of the Hanalei Surf CO.tea, the home-schooled Hamilton beat beating even more experienced surfers in competition. So in May 2003, Bethany won bother her age group and the open division of Hawaii’s Local Motion/Ezekiel Surf into Summer events. Then shortly after, she finished her second in the open woman’s division of the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) National Championships at Sen Clemente, California.

Bethany Hamilton went to surf at Tunnels Beach in Ha’ena with her best friend, her best friend’s father, and also her brother. Bethany was laying on her board. Then suddenly she felt a sudden intense pressure in her left arm while it was pulled back and forth a few times before the feeling had passed. Surprisingly she felt no pain, but she noticed that the water started turning red and the her whole left arm was severed nearly to her shoulder. Her friend’s father fashioned a tourniquet for her injured area to bring everyone to shore safely. They rushed Bethany to Wilcox Memorial Hospital. Although she lost 60 percent of her blood due to the attack, she underwent several surgeries, but was then released a few days later.

Bethany Hamilton returned surfing only a month after the attack. She wrote her autobiography in 2004, Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to get Back on the Broad. It then became a best seller, and she was honored for her courage. For example, MTV, ESPN, and the United States Sports Academy honored her. Bethany Hamilton went to publish many more books after her autobiography, like Devotions for the Soul Surfer (2006) and Body and Soul: A Girls Guide to a Fit, Fun, and Fabulous Life (2014).

 In conclusion, Bethany Hamilton was a very strong and courageous woman who loved to surf and even after a tragic shark attack that took her left arm, continued to surf. She even wrote famous books that talk more about her mindset. She became famous for her bravery and courage.