Bethany Hamilton, a true hero and inspiration for anyone who faces challenges and adversity in life. As many people already know on October 31, 2003, Bethany was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing off Kauai’s North Shore in Hawaii. The attack left Bethany with a severed left arm. Most people would lose faith, question why me, and give up, so what did Bethany do? Bethany got back on the surf board, rode those waves, and while continuing to pursue her passion, shines as a bright light to anyone who has setbacks and challenges.
Bethany recently spoke at press conference, about the blessings of having her teeth corrected by the Damon System, braces that are lightweight, transparent, and do a fantastic job at correcting smiles that need improvement. I had the opportunity to ask Bethany how she felt right after the shark attack, and what she drew her strength on, to overcome this traumatic challenge. Bethany’s response was of course the shark attack was a huge setback and obstacle in her young life. And Bethany realized her passion for surfing and her deep faith in G-d were much greater than anything a shark can take from her body, even her arm.
So what is Bethany doing now? Bethany is entering surfing competitions, travelling the world, and giving back to others. Her worldly pursuits range from an appearance on The Biggest Loser, as an inspiration to others, making people more confident with a much improved smile, to spare heading a non-profit called Friends of Bethany (www.friendsofbethany.com) which supports shark attack survivors and traumatic amputees.
Bethany surfs the universe with inspiration and heroism and she’s voted the Save 1 Person hero of the century.
