Student 1
Student Name
Mrs. Long
8 English
9 May 2012
Surfer Spirit
On October 31, 2003, a thirteen year old surfer was catching some waves off the North Shore of Kauai, Hawaii's fourth largest island. In an instant the young surfer's life was changed forever when a 14-foot tiger shark ripped her left arm from her body. Bethany Hamilton ended up losing 60% of her blood and endured several surgeries, but was able to survive the vicious attack that left her without her arm. Within a month, Hamilton was back in the water surfing, and within three months she returned to surfing competitions. Bethany Hamilton should be viewed as an image maker because of her astonishing willpower to never give up in the face of defeat, her inspiring message around the world to keep trying, and her ability to surf competitively even after losing her arm.
Despite a life changing shark attack, Bethany Hamilton has astonishing willpower to never give up. Soon Bethany wanted to surf again: “'Sure I was scared[...]but I was more scared of not surfing,'” author Sian Griffiths describes Bethany's heart in her article “Hey, Shark, Get Out of My Wave” (1). After experiencing such a dramatic life-changing event, most people wouldn't go back in the water, but that didn't stop Hamilton. A few months later, another top surfer was attacked and killed by a shark, but even that didn't change her mind. Joel Patterson in his article “Soul Surfer” suggests that, “[...] a strong-willed kid endured the worst side of nature and then held fast and rebuilt her life as the world gawked” (5). It's amazing that she survived the attack, but also she showed the world that she will never give up on her surfing dream. She was surfing competitively only three months later with the drive to show the world she can do it. Hamilton's determination and strength in the face of many set-backs has been a motivation to many people.
Bethany's inspiring message has touched the hearts of thousands around the world. In the biography on Bethany's website, it speculates that, “Bethany Hamilton has become a source of inspiration to millions through her story of faith, determination, and hope” (n.p.). She is a source of inspiration because she doesn't care that she only has one arm, she wants to be treated the same. When people that are sick or injured hear her story, they have faith in tomorrow and begin to hope for the best. In his article “Soul Surfer,” Joel Patterson notes Bethany's opinion that, “'What happened to me brought good, and I wouldn't take my arm back if given the option'” (4). She truly believes that her shark attack brought good to the world, so she doesn't mind not having an arm despite the challenges. Bethany is still doing what she loves while sending an amazing message; she can get people through tough times in their lives and give them hope, so she thinks it's worth it. Hamilton hasn't just motivate people around the world, she became extremely motivated to prove that she could achieve her surfing goals even after the accident.
Even after losing her arm in a shark attack, Bethany Hamilton was able to return to competitive surfing. For example,“In January of 2004, Bethany made her return to surf competition; placing 5th in the Open Women’s division of that contest” (“Biography” n.p.). This is an astonishing accomplishment because it had been only three months since the shark attack. Surfing without her left arm would have affected her ability to balance the way she had before the accident, but Hamilton quickly made those adjustments and was able place in the competition. Hamilton's biography on her official website also states, “Just over a year after the attack she took 1st place in the Explorer Women’s division of the 2005 NSSA National Championships – winning her first National Title” (n.p.). This shows the dedication she has toward the sport. Many people would have let an injury like this slow them down, but it only seemed to energize Hamilton and reveal her passion for surfing. Being able to recover from the shark attack and go on to become a top female competitor in the surfing world shows that Bethany Hamilton is a remarkable athlete.
Bethany Hamilton's willpower to never give up and her ability to surf competitively even after losing her arm in a shark attack has inspired millions of people around the world to keep trying. She is proof that good can come out of any bad situation. She turned what could have been a moment that negatively altered her life forever into an opportunity to push the limits of what she and others thought was possible, and for that reason Bethany Hamilton is an inspiration to anyone facing a seemingly insurmountable situation.
Works Cited
"Biography."BethanyHamilton.com. Collaboration Reverberation, 2010.Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <
Griffiths, Sian. "Hey, shark, get out of my wave." The Sunday Times.Times Newspapers Ltd, 25 Sept.2011. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. <
Patterson, Joel. "Soul Surfer."Surfer.Apr. 2011: 4-5. Print.