Bethany Hamilton was born on February 8, 1990, on the island of Kauai, Hawaii, where the ocean was her playground. From a young age, she was drawn to the waves, learning to surf before she could ride a bike. By age eight, she was competing in local contests, her blonde hair and fearless spirit making her a standout. Surfing wasn’t just a hobby for Bethany—it was her life, her dream, and her future. But at 13, a single moment would test her courage and redefine her journey.
On October 31, 2003, Bethany went surfing at Tunnels Beach with her best friend Alana Blanchard, Alana’s father, and brother. It was a typical morning, the sun glinting off the Pacific, waves rolling gently. Bethany lay on her board, her left arm dangling in the water, when a 14-foot tiger shark attacked without warning. In an instant, it bit off her left arm just below the shoulder, leaving her board stained red. Shock set in, but Bethany’s survival instinct kicked in. She paddled back to shore with one arm, her friends and Alana’s father rushing to help. They fashioned a tourniquet from a surfboard leash, and Bethany was airlifted to a hospital.
The attack made headlines worldwide. Bethany lost 60% of her blood and nearly her life, yet her spirit remained unbroken. Doctors saved her, but the loss of her arm was a devastating blow for a competitive surfer. The media swarmed, friends worried, and many assumed her surfing days were over. But Bethany had other plans. “I’m not done,” she told her parents just weeks after the attack. “I’m going back to the water.”
Less than a month later, on Thanksgiving Day, Bethany returned to the ocean. With the support of her family—her parents, avid surfers themselves, and her brothers, Noah and Tim—she faced her fears. Learning to surf with one arm was grueling. Simple tasks like paddling, balancing, and popping up on the board felt impossible at first. Bethany fell, over and over, but each wipeout fueled her determination. She adapted, using her core strength and modifying her technique, even customizing her boards for better grip.
By January 2004, just three months after the attack, Bethany entered her first major competition since the incident, the National Scholastic Surfing Association event. She didn’t win, but she placed fifth—a victory in itself. Her comeback stunned the surfing world and inspired millions. Bethany’s faith played a huge role; as a devout Christian, she believed God had a purpose for her, shark attack and all. “I don’t know why this happened,” she’d say, “but I’m going to use it to do something good.”
Bethany’s resilience paid off. In 2005, she won the NSSA National Championships, proving she could compete at the highest level. She turned professional in 2007, joining the World Qualifying Series and later the World Tour, facing off against the best surfers in the world. Her style—fluid, powerful, and fearless—earned her respect, even as she tackled monstrous waves with one arm. She placed in major events, including a third-place finish at the 2009 Rio Pro and a win at the 2016 Fiji Women’s Pro Pipeline.
Beyond competition, Bethany became a global inspiration. Her 2004 memoir, Soul Surfer, detailed her journey and was adapted into a 2011 film starring AnnaSophia Robb. She founded the Friends of Bethany foundation, supporting shark attack survivors and amputees, and spoke at events worldwide, sharing her message of hope and perseverance. “Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid,” she said. “It means you don’t let fear stop you.”
Bethany’s life grew richer with time. In 2013, she married Adam Dirks, a youth minister, and they welcomed three sons: Tobias, Wesley, and Micah. Motherhood didn’t slow her down; she continued surfing, even competing while pregnant and teaching her kids to ride waves. In 2019, she launched Unstoppable, a documentary showcasing her life as a surfer, mother, and advocate.
Today, at 35, Bethany Hamilton is more than a surfer—she’s a symbol of what’s possible when you refuse to give up. The shark took her arm, but it couldn’t take her spirit. From the beaches of Kauai to the world stage, Bethany’s story reminds us that with grit, faith, and love for what you do, no wave is too big to conquer.