Bethany Hamilton: Inspiring Survivor & Surfer

1. Born February 8, 1990 in Lihue, Hawaii • At the age of thirteen, on October 31, 2003, Bethany was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing off Kauai’s North Shore  attack left Bethany with a severed left arm • Lifeguards and doctors believe her strong water sense and faith in God helped get her through the traumatic ordeal • Miraculously, just one month after the attack, Bethany returned to the water to continue pursuing her goal to become a professional surfer • Just over a year after the attack she took 1st place in the Explorer Women’s division of the 2005 NSSA National Championships  first National Title • Bethany has since participated in numerous ASP and World Tour Events with her major highlight being a second place finish in the ASP 2009 World Junior Championships • Bethany has been able to touch a large number of people with her message, charitable efforts, and overall spirit • She is a committed Christian, a clean-living role model, a risk-taker, original, highly creative with a louche reputation • “Bethany’s foundation of faith has been her backbone; her source of truth, hope, and strength” • Bethany is a spokeswoman for the Beating The Odds Foundation as well as for World Vision Internationaland she has just launched her own foundation, Friends of Bethany, which supports shark attack survivors, traumatic amputees, and serves to inspire others through her life story • “ People can do whatever they want if they just set their heart to it, and just never give up, and just go out there and do it.”