Obstacles In Bethany Hamilton's Life

Bethany Hamilton is a surfer, who has been through many ups and downs throughout her life. One big obstacle in her life was surviving a major shark attack in 2003. Her arm was bitten off almost all the way to the armpit. Although she had the support of all her friends and family, it was still hard for her. As time went on, she got accustomed to her new life. Bethany became a huge sensation and wrote many books, got many awards, and even had a movie made about her. Despite Bethany Hamilton’s hardship of losing her arm, she was still able to pursue her dream of becoming a professional surfer. Bethany Hamilton was born in Hawaii in 1990 . She began competitive surfing at age 8. She won her first scholarship at age 9. Her promising career was

“It came literally, out of the blue. I had no warning at all; not even the slightest hint of danger on the horizon. The water was crystal clear and calm; it was more like a swimming pool, rather than the deep ocean waters in Kauai,” she recalled (Hamilton 3). She said, “Then I watched in shock as the water around me turned bright red. Somehow, I stayed calm and started to paddle towards the beach. My left arm was gone almost to the armpit, along with a huge, crescent-shaped chunk or my red-white-and-blue surfboard…… “ (Hamilton 4). She was with Alana Blanchard, her best friend, her sixteen year old brother, Byron, and her dad Holt (Hamilton 14). “Whatever emotions Holt, Byron, and Alana were feeling they kept inside; nobody panicked or lost their head” (Hamilton 72). Eventually, they got to the hospital and everything was alright. “People say to me, “ weren’t you terrified? Didn’t you think you would be eaten alive.” I guess that would be the normal reaction, but it wasn’t mine. Maybe I was in shock or denial; maybe I was on autopilot. I’m not really sure, but when I look at it now, I’m glad of one thing: I’m glad I never saw the shark closing in on me. I’m glad I never had more than a split second to

“A thought flashed into my mind: “You could die.” But I pushed any negative vibes away quickly with a prayer. I’m in God’s hands,” I remember thinking, and I forced myself into the here and now and concentrated on holding on” (Hamilton 74). Bethany expresses her faith in God and that He will make it all better. She believed that God would help her get through all of her difficulties even during the tough time she is going through. Along with her belief in God, Bethany had the full support of all her friends and family. “A lot of who I am comes from my parents. They’re incredible people who’ve always worked very hard to reach their goals. I know a lot of teenagers think their parents are total aliens, but I actually think mine are pretty cool. They not only support me in everything I do, but they also inspire me to be a great surfer, and even more important, a great human being” (Hamilton 19). Bethany loves her parents and appreciates all their support. In her book, she thanks them for all that they do for her and for how much they support her. Even in competitions, Bethany is able to know she has the support of her family. “My family is great on that front: Win or lose, they think I’m awesome, and I know I have their love and support no matter how I place in a contest.” (Hamilton 46). Lastly, Bethany also had the support of her friends. She