Bethany Hamilton one said, “Courage, sacrifice, determination, commitment, toughness, heart, talent, and guts. That’s what little girls are made of; the heck with sugar and spice.” In her book, Soul Surfer, she describes her life story, and how it came to be. Bethany lost her arm in a shark attack in the Fall of 2003 when she was 13 years old. After this horrific accident, many people believed this young girl’s life career had come to an end.
Bethany Hamilton has been an avid surfer from the age seven. Everyday, she would go out to surf with her best friend, Alanna, in and around their Kauai community. That is, until that one Fall day changed her life forever. Hamilton claimed to have seen a gray shadow lurking underneath her in the ocean, when suddenly the shadow attacked. Within minutes of a pull and a tug, Bethany was hauled off in the back of an ambulance leaving nothing behind but bloody water and the first shark attack ever reported on the North shore of Kauai. Even through the painful waiting and anticipation, Bethany knew from that first night in the hospital that someday she would have the strength to get back on the board.
This story takes you from day one. Bethany vividly describes her daily routine, and what happened before, during, and after the attack. Hamilton has created a real page turner that actually had me stop and think about how grateful we should be with what we have; family, friends, and faith. All of which have the ability to heal. Within years of the attack, Bethany competed in several surfing competitions, and was awarded the 2004 Teen Choice award for Most Courageous Teen and the 2004 ESPY award for the Best Comeback Athlete. From my point of view, Bethany is an inspiring author. It’s truly amazing how such a strong person could be dealing with her own problems of her new handicap, but yet still have a heart to be concerned enough to help others. Bethany, as you know, has only one arm, but she doesn’t let this stop her from anything. She frequently speaks with other children worldwide who also have this mere imperfection. Giving them tips and pointers to make their everyday tasks easier. Not only does this improve her overall person, but serves as an excellent act of kindness for younger readers to look up to.