Bethany was 15 years old and from
Princeville, Kauai when she was attacked by a shark about 8 a.m.
on October 31, 2003 while surfing near Tunnels Beach located on the North shore of Kauai, the Hawaiian Island where she lives
with her family. . She lost her left arm just below her shoulder, and nearly
died, but miraculously survived the attack. To read more about Bethany, read her
Bio page. She was an accomplished surfer, by age 13, and well on her way to living
out her life long dream of becoming a professional surfer when she was attacked by the 14 foot long tiger shark. An incident that could have ended her career and her life.
From her site: “Bethany
has chosen to use her experience to become an inspiration and help others to overcome adversity, no matter how great. “People
I don’t even know come up to me. I guess they see me as a symbol of courage and inspiration. One thing hasn’t
changed—and that’s how I feel when I’m riding a wave. It’s like, here I am. I’m still here.
It’s still me and my board—in God's ocean!”
Bethany prayed that God would use her life and her story to bring out something
good from her loss. She was back in the water surfing within one month of being
attacked. She competed, a mere 10 weeks after the attack, and placed 5th
in her age group in the 2004 National Surfing Championships. She has been named
“Comeback athlete of the year” by ESPY and won the Gene Autry Courage Award. http://www.tempe.gov/graphicdesign/courageawards/
Bethany is a member of the North Shore Christian Church located in Kauai. Her Pastor, the Rev Steve Thompson, stated::
“She (Bethany) has a genuine love for others. She has a strong,
confident sense that what she is doing is God’s will for her.” (Quoted
from Charisma Magazine, July, 2005, p.17. She has published a book entitled: “Soul Surfer” that is doing very well.
Her book states her love for Jesus in every chapter. She has inspired
many people and brought hundreds to Christ.
Bethany states she does not have a favorite Bible verse but goes on to add that Romans 8:28 is special to her. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
To see her web page, click link below. It has pictures, more information on her story,
her faith and is well worth a visit.
