Bethany Hamilton Revisits Shark Attack Site 20 Years Later: ‘Grateful to God’
By Movieguide® Contributor
On Wednesday, pro-surfer Bethany Hamilton visited the place where a shark attacked her and took her left arm 20 years ago.
“20 years later…This was the location of my shark incident as a 13-year-old girl,” Hamilton captioned photos on Instagram.
Hamilton shared three photos. In the first, 13-year-old Hamilton stands in the spot of the attack and holds a surfboard with a huge chunk bitten out of it and her left arm gone. The second and third photos show her now with a whole surfboard. She wears an identical swimsuit to the one she wore at 13. In the third photo, she smiles confidently.
“I’m in awe of how much God has made beauty out of something so scary and so awful. When we face challenges, it can be hard to have hope beyond our chaos, but it is essential,” the surfer said. “I hope that my life can be a ✨hint of hope✨for you in the challenges that you face. I see the challenges along the way as a call to live in faith and to trust in God to carry me through it all! I’m so grateful to God for his faithfulness ???”
Her story was portrayed in the Movieguide® Award-winning movie SOUL SURFER.
Movieguide® reported on the anniversary of the shark attack in early October:
In an Instagram video commemorating the accident, Hamilton shared, “I lost my arm in a shark attack 20 years ago, but it never held me back from living my dreams…”
“I didn’t wake up in the hospital thinking I was invincible and was gonna get back to surfing. After getting a hint of inspiration, I had to dream it up, flip my mindset and be willing to do what I had not seen anyone else do,” Hamilton wrote. “This was a challenge to live in faith.”
“And I am so glad I was willing to try and give it my best shot! Now I get to surf with my two eldest sons, Tobias and Wesley, and my hubby! I get to enjoy these sweet moments with my newborn daughter. There is so much to be grateful for, and these past 20 years have been filled with incredible moments and huge overcoming seasons,” she added.
Despite losing her arm, Hamilton became one of the world’s best surfers. She celebrates her life now and acknowledges how the attack changed her future for the better.
“I have an incredible husband, 4 amazing children, one super strong arm ??? and a body that still allows me to surf and do my thang! ?? I see so much goodness through one of the hardest moments of my life,” she said. “Thank you Jesus!!”
“The past 20 years has given me the opportunity to step into a call to bring hope to others and to be a part some really amazing things… But no doubt being a mom now and serving my family is the best call to my life! Here’s to the next 20 years!!! ?”
On the 16th anniversary of the attack, Hamilton said, “I can be here with contentedness knowing that from awful times beauty can come. Thank you God! As life has gone on I cherish all that I have, my faith, family, the ability to bring hope, surfing, the challenges, the over-comings and much more.”
In her recent post, Hamilton mentioned the organizations that she helped create. She formed Ohana Experiences, a faith-based mentorship program for young women and their mothers, and the Beautifully Flawed Foundation, which offers retreats to those with limb differences.
The Greyhound News reported, “Bethany’s foundation is known to bring smiles and warm arms and even the occasional surf lesson.”
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