By age 13, she was an accomplished surfer and well-respected in the surfing world.
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īethany Hamilton is a Hawaii native who began her surfing career at age 11. She has appeared on many television shows since the loss of her arm. In April 2011, the feature film Soul Surfer was released it was based on the book and additional interviews. She wrote about her experience in the 2004 autobiography Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board.
SOUL SURFER PROFESSIONAL
Though this central theme will be inspiring to some readers, it may also be off-putting to readers who don’t share her beliefs.īethany Meilani Hamilton Dirks (born February 8, 1990) is an American professional surfer who survived a 2003 shark attack in which her left arm was bitten off, but ultimately returned to-and was victorious in-professional surfing. She takes the position that everything is meant to be and that the shark attack is a challenge from god. Bethany repeated focuses on is her relationship with god and how that the most important part of her life. Faced with a shark attack that leaves young Bethany with just one arm, she quickly copes with the situation and is able to persevere because of her Christian faith. The main plot and themes are reflected in the title: A True Story of Faith, Family and Fighting to Get Back on the Board.
![soul surfer soul surfer](https://www.qbd.com.au/img/products/0/9781416503460.jpg)
Bethany offers stories about her family and her friendships, and about her love of surfing while also including brief informational pieces including a detailed “History of Surfing” and “Surfer Lingo.” Additionally, there are two sections of colored plates with engaging photographs of Bethany growing up and surfing. The language used is casual, and “teenage girl” in style. Soul Surfer is an autobiography told in Bethany’s voice. She explains how this generosity inspired her to give back through volunteering, and to use her ability to be a positive role model for what can be accomplished when one has faith.īethany Hamilton offers an honest look at her life as a teenager growing up in Kauai, Hawaii and the one Halloween morning in 2003 that would change her life forever. She tells about the people who reached out and supported her after she lost her arm. Along with stories about her parents and her friends and the love and dedication that she has for surfing, Bethany directs her narrative to her relationship with god. The rest of her life is pretty normal – she watches re-runs of Leave It To Beaver, makes smoothies every morning, and is very active in her church group. Growing up in a family of avid surfers, she talks about being home-schooled so she can maintain her surf schedule.
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Bethany quickly moves on from the actual incident and dives into her life as a kid growing up on an island and the challenges of being a competitive surfer. The book opens with a vague recounting of Halloween day in 2003, when Bethany and her best friend, Alana, decided to catch some waves at Pauaeaka on the North Shore of Kauai. Soul Surfer is the autobiographical story of Bethany Hamilton, a teenage surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack. Surfer Bethany Hamilton tells her true story of losing a limb in a shark attack, and her journey back to competitive surfing. Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the BoardĪuthors: Bethany Hamilton, Sheryl Berk and Rick Bundschuh