Bethany Hamilton, a shark attack survivor, was able to grasp the opportunity, change lives, and have an impact on countless children, boys, women, and men.
But in addition to being an exceptional surfer, the blonde, who was born in Hawaii, has written a number of best-selling books and has hundreds of medals to her name.
How Old Was Bethany Hamilton When She Lost Her Arm?
When a shark attacked Bethany Hamilton, she was just 13 years old. Bethany Hamilton had dreams of becoming a famous surfer when she was just 13 years old.
Since her board was her life, she was motivated to succeed. On February 8, 1990, Bethany Meilani Hamilton was born in Lihue, Hawaii, on the island of Kauai.
But on October 31, 2003, while surfing off the shore of her native Hawaii, she suffered a serious setback. Bethany was lying on the side of her board when a 14-foot tiger shark clamped down on her left arm, slashing it right below the shoulder.
After she managed to survive the attack and make it to shore, her friend’s father constructed a tourniquet out of a surfboard leash and tightly wrapped it around her bicep to attempt and stop the flow of blood.
The shark attack left Bethany with physical scars, but she didn’t let it affect her emotionally. Three weeks after losing her arm, she picked up her board again rather than spend the rest of her life being afraid of the ocean. She won her first national surfing title a little over a year later.