Bethany Hamilton
Bethany Hamilton
Bethany Meilani Hamilton-Dirksis an American professional surfer who survived a 2003 shark attack in which her left arm was bitten off, but ultimately returned to—and was victorious in—professional surfing. She wrote about her experience in the 2004 autobiography Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board. In April 2011, the feature film Soul Surfer was released ...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSurfer
Date of Birth8 February 1990
CityLihue, HI
CountryUnited States of America
We all need that extra friend outside of our immediate family to talk about that extra stuff you wouldn't normally talk to your parents about.
I love the ocean, and I love surfing. It's something so special and unique, and surfing is unlike any other sport. Skateboarding is amazing, you get the adrenaline rush, but you don't get the feel of the ocean, of doing its own thing. Totally surrounding you. Definitely a unique thing, it's a blessing, and a huge part of my healing process I would say.
I have been able to be just a good light to people and just share His love. I wake up every day and [try to] honor God in everything that I do and I may fall short sometimes, but all I want to do is love Him.
Compassion can drive us to do amazing things and give us perspective.
Fear is something that can really hold us all back from different things in life. It's important to notice what your fears are and try to conquer them.
Being out there in the ocean, God's creation, it's like a gift He has given us to enjoy,
The author describes how impressed she was with the detailed storyboards that outlined her movie – "not just sketches, but real art". She then describes a Hawaiian sunset as, "God painting His storyboard on the sky".
The media can be challenging, but at the same time, without the media, I would not have been able to share my personal story. Often the media can bring beauty and encouragement to people's lives.
I can't change it, That was God's plan for my life and I'm going to go with it.
I believe in God. Nobody made me believe; I don't think you can or should try to force someone to believe something. And even though my parents taught me stuff about God and read Bible stories to me from as early as I can remember... it was my choice to become a believer in Him. The way I see it, putting our faith in God is something that each person has to come to on his or her own. It's your own personal relationship with Him; a bond that's as unique as a fingerprint.
I could never have embraced this many people with two arms.
Life is a lot like surfing… When you get caught in the impact zone, you’ve got to just get back up. Because you never know what may be over the next wave.
Getting back on the surfboard after the [shark] attack was the hardest thing and I did it! After that, the hardest thing was my first competition.
God created the heavens and the earth, the oceans and the waves for our enjoyment. Surfing is just my way of worshipping Him.