Bethany Hamilton - the standard of willpower and character

As a result of the sudden attack of a huge shark, this girl was left without a left hand and could die. But this prompted her only with greater determination to follow her dream.

Promising start

Bethany Hamilton was born in a family of surfers and for the first time tried herself in this sport at the age of five. At the age of seven, she was already confidently catching a wave and getting up on the board without help. I won my first competition at eight. Seeing the sincere fascination and talent of her daughter, in due course her parents allowed her to switch to home schooling in order to devote more time to her favorite occupation. Thus, Bethany's cherished dream of becoming a professional surfer seemed not only possible, but almost inevitable.

Fatal day

This day began like any other. Thirteen-year-old Bethany got up at five in the morning to go to the beach. The weather forecast that morning was pretty disappointing for surfing - no excitement was expected. But since Hamilton still wanted to go, Mom drove the girl to one of her favorite beaches. There she joined her friend Alana Blanchard, her father and brother, and they all went to bathe in anticipation of good waves.

Surfer Bethany Hamilton lay on the board, putting her hand in the water, and nothing foretold troubles. Four-meter tiger shark appeared as if from nowhere and grabbed the girl by the shoulder. Bethany instinctively grabbed the board, trying to hold onto it, and the shark, pushing its victim several times, disappeared ... tearing her hand just below the shoulder joint. Everything happened so swiftly and unexpectedly that none of the people around noticed anything.

"We just sat there, and suddenly Bethany shouted that she was attacked by a shark," recalls a friend of the Hamilton family Holt Blanchard. At first he decided that the girl was joking, because she did not see the spray and did not hear the screams. But when Bethany sailed to the shore, Blanchard saw blood in the water and realized that the situation was not joking.

Bethany's friends used t-shirts and a urethane leash to stop the bleeding, and, of course, saved the girl's life. Despite all the measures taken, she lost 60% of the blood and almost died on the way to the hospital. If the bite had come a little higher, it would have become fatal.

By the strange irony of fate, when Bethany Hamilton was brought to the hospital, her father was in the operating room, who was scheduled for a knee surgery. He was already anesthetized, but the procedure had to be interrupted in time to save the young athlete. Doctors did everything they could, and, fortunately, their efforts were crowned with success.

After the tragedy

The next few days were like a fog. Operations, droppers, dressings. But time passed and anxiety arose for a later life. "I began to worry about the future: do I really have to forget about surfing forever? What will I do? "- says Hamilton. And, of course, Bethany was afraid that others around her would be sorry for her and considered defective.

Therefore, just three weeks after the tragedy, Hamilton found the strength to return to the sea.

"Back in surfing, I was very afraid of sharks," Bethany says. "Attacks like what happened to me happen rarely, but I was still thinking about it. To fight this fear, I just climbed into the water and focused on the wave. I forbade myself to think in the spirit of "what if ...".

"I did not see the shark attack," the surfer admits. "If I saw, I'm not sure that I could live with this nightmare or ever return to the water." She also believes that ignorance helped her to remain calm right after the bite - and this calm, perhaps, saved her life. Bethany lost more than 60% of her blood volume, and in case of panic this figure could be even greater.

Re-learning the technique of surfing in the absence of one hand was not easy. "I was very uncomfortable," Bethany says. "On other days, I just went into the water and left it in tears. But still I persisted. " And her determination paid off.

Just over a year later, surfer Bethany Hamilton won her first national competition. In 2007, she fulfilled her long-standing dream, having started professionally surfing, winning numerous contests, receiving many awards, sponsorship and worldwide fame. Anyone who has tried to learn surfing knows what a difficult sport it is. It requires endurance, strength, a sense of balance and dexterity. But in the performance of Bethany Hamilton, sliding on the waves looks amazingly easy - she cope with one right! In 2016, the girl took third place in the championship in Fiji, confirming her status as one of the best surfers in the world.

Life on the Wave

The sportswoman tried herself and in literary creativity, becoming the author of the popular autobiography "Soul Surfer", released in 2004. In 2011, another success was waiting for Bethany Hamilton: the book was filmed, and the screens the same movie was released. The role of the famous surfer took upon herself the actress Anansophia Robb. All the numerous tricks on the waves were professionally performed by the real Bethany Hamilton. The film has turned out to be truly documentary. Touching and truthful scenes of "Soul Surfer" make the spectator sincerely admire this wonderful young woman who turned personal tragedy into a loud triumph.

Charity

Now Bethany Hamilton, the photo of which you see in the article, participates in numerous charity campaigns, including the own fund "friends of Bethany", which extends a hand to help the disabled and the victims of the attack of sharks.

In particular, in 2005 the girl traveled to Phuket, where she worked with orphans and victims of the recent tsunami, urging them not to be afraid of water and teaching the basics of surfing.

Philosophy of overcoming

Although the attack of a shark is not something that can be considered a useful experience, Bethany Hamilton accepted him as part of her life and even discovered some positive aspects. "One of the most beautiful things I learned from this incident is knowing that I can overcome difficulties," says Hamilton. "I have the opportunity to overcome fear."

In addition, Hamilton finds satisfaction in being an inspiring example for other young people with amputated limbs and girls in general.

Bethany continues to travel, enjoy life and find new adventures. "There are no two identical days," says Hamilton, "It's part of what makes the world so exciting."

Personal life

In 2012, fate brought Bethany with an avid surfer Adam Dirks, who came to Hawaii from Kansas, and this acquaintance grew into a tender friendship. "When she came home from travel, we went on long hikes or surfing. No dinners or dates in the cinema. Many fine watches together, "Adam said. A year later the lovers got married, and after a while admitted that they expect the family to be replenished.

Publicly announcing her pregnancy, Bethany said: "I often forget that I have one hand .... I think it will be very difficult to manage with one hand, but I will find a way to take care of the child. You have to approach creativity creatively ... Being a mom is a new exciting adventure. "

Now the son of Bethany and Adam, Tobias, is already a year old, and happy parents are preparing to introduce him to the family hobby - surfing.