Bethany Hamilton’s name came into the limelight for surviving a brutal shark attack in 2003. Her left arm was ripped off, but she came back to professional surfing. She proved that biting off can’t stop her life from living well. If you want to know all details about her life journey then read more for further details.
Early Life
Hamilton was born in Lihue, Hawaii, on 8 February 1990 to Tom and Cheri Hamilton. She grew up with two older brothers, Timothy and Noah. At a young age, she started surfing, and by age eight, she began participating in surfing competitions.
At the age of ten, she earned her first sponsorship. Hamilton was home-schooled by her mother from sixth grade through high school, while her father worked as a waiter at a town café.
Career
Bethany Hamilton, a professional surfer, gained worldwide attention after surviving a shark attack at age 13. Despite losing her left arm, she continued pursuing her passion for surfing.
Her determination and resilience inspired many, and she achieved significant success in her career. Bethany’s story was even adapted into a movie, showcasing her remarkable journey. She’s an accomplished athlete and an advocate for resilience and positivity.
Shark Attack And Recovery
On October 31, 2003, a 13-year-old girl named Hamilton went surfing with her best friend. While Hamilton was lying face down on her surfboard and chatting with Alana, a 14-foot-long tiger shark attacked her and bit off her left arm just below the shoulder. The Blanchards quickly helped Hamilton back to shore, where Alana’s father used a rash guard to make a tourniquet around the stump of her arm. Hamilton was rushed to Wilcox Memorial Hospital, where she received medical attention and a life-saving surgery.
When the news of the shark attack broke out, a family of fishermen led by Ralph Young provided photos of a 14-foot-long shark they had caught and killed about one mile from the attack site. The shark had surfboard debris in its mouth, and its mouth measurements matched those of Hamilton’s broken surfboard. In late 2004, the police officially confirmed that the shark they caught was the same one that had attacked Hamilton.
Despite the traumatic experience, Hamilton was determined to return to surfing. Initially, she used a custom-made board that was longer and thicker than standard ones and had a handle for her right arm, which made it easier for her to paddle. She also learned to kick more to compensate for losing her left arm. After teaching herself to surf with one arm, she returned to surfing on November 26, 2003, just 26 days after the attack. She entered her first major surfing competition on January 10, 2004. Today, she uses standard competitive performance shortboards.
Social Media Presence
Bethany Hamilton is active on social media platforms like facebook, Instagram and Twitter.She has verified instagram account under the name “bethanyhamilton” with 2.3M followers and on facebook “Bethany Hamilton” with 2.4M followers. She has also on Twitter under the name “Bethany Hamilton” with 1.3M followers.
Facebook Account: Bethany Hamilton
Instagram Account: bethanyhamilton
Twitter Account: Bethany Hamilton
Bethany Hamilton Words about Social Media
- “Hey friends! Sooo…I have some good news to share…at least it’s been good news in my life…I removed Facebook and Instagram from my phone.
- Here’s why.
- The privacy you don’t have on these platforms is terrible. They have access to EVERYTHING. I’ll let you do your own research if this concerns you.
- Also, I just wanted to spend less time on social platforms and be more present with my life…and it’s working out great!!!
- I find it crazy how addicting social media can be. Do your fingers just move like magnets to these platforms even when you may not want them to?! Mine sure do.
- Also, personally, I get disappointed when I’m with friends or family and they just zone out and disappear from hanging out with us and fade away into online social world. They are just gone. Have you been there?
- I didn’t delete my social accounts…after all I still want to connect with you all! …I removed the apps from my phone and put them on an old phone I had around. You could also put your social apps on an ipad or just log in from a computer. The idea is to take it off the device that you have with you most of the time (probably your phone) to help you be more present and less drawn to the dreaded scroll.
Less accessible = less tempting.
Anyway, this change I made a month ago or so has been AMAZING! I wish I did it sooner! I just had to share this idea with y’all so you too may experience the freedom and goodness of owning your time and life a little bit more!”
