Bethany Hamilton

Bio:
Bethany Hamilton (born Bethany Meilani Hamilton on February 8, 1990 in Lihue, Hawaii) is an American professional surfer. Bethany was an active surfer from a young age. When she was 13 years old, Bethany went surfing along Tunnells Beach in Kauai. While she was lying on her board, with her left arm dangling in the water, a 14-foot tiger shark attacked her, biting her arm off just below the shoulder. She survived the attack, and spent a week recovering in the hospital. Bethany resumed surfing two weeks later. In 2004, after learning how to swim with one arm, Bethany entered her first NNSA National Competition. She would win it the following year and continue to find surfing success in the following decade. Since her attack, Bethany has become a media personality, appearing on The Biggest Loser, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and more. She won the 2004 ESPY Award for Best Comeback Athlete. She appeared on a 2009 episode of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? and won $25,000. In 2011, a feature film, based on her 2004 book, Soul Surfer, was released. She has also appeared on 19 Kids and Counting and Dolphin Tale 2. She competed on the 25th season of The Amazing Race with her husband, finishing third.

Best Known For:
Bethany Hamilton is best known as a professional surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack.

Personal Life:
Bethany is the youngest of three siblings. She is highly involved in her spirituality. In 2012, Bethany met youth minister Adam Dirks through mutual friends. The two started dating, and married in 2013. In June 2015, the couple welcomed their first child, a son named Tobias.