by Jemima K (age 8)
I studied Bethany Hamilton because she inspires me with her amazing attitude to overcoming challenges.
When she was just thirteen, a shark bit off her arm while she was surfing. She lost almost sixty percent of her blood and nearly died.
However, she decided that she loved surfing so much that she would give it another go, this time with one arm. She said, “I don’t need easy; I just need possible.”
Only a few months after the attack, she was back on her board. Her dad built a handle on the board so that she could stand up on it using only one arm.
Soon she was back in surf competitions against women with two arms – and she was even winning some of them!
Bethany’s faith in God make her believe that all things are possible. She had no idea that God would use her life to impact thousands of people. She now uses her name to inspire others.
She says, “courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.”
Word Oysters 