A young surfer girl. A huge tiger shark. A catastrophy... Material for the big screen, made in a factory called Hollywood. "Fiction" as one might suppose. But not in this case, because it's Bethany Hamilton's story.

Grown up on the gorgeous Hawaiian island of Kauai, Bethany surely was one of the happiest teenagers on earth. Here she indulged her big passion: surfing. She took part in her first contest – the Quicksilver "Push-and-Ride" – at the age of five. And did win. As the years passed by she took part in several more contests, trying to get closer to her goal of becoming a pro surfer. When Rip Curl watched her win the "Volcom Puffer Fish" in 2000 her dream finally seemed to become true...

October 31st 2003. Thirteen years old Bethany went into the waters at Tunnels Reef. A day like any other. But at 7:30 this was about to change. A shark shot up from the deep and ripped off Bethany's left arm just below her shoulder.

Bethany lost sixty percent of her blood. For sure the quick help of her friends saved her life. They got her back to the shore and ligated the stub of her arm with their leashes. On the same day Bethany's father lay in the Wilcox Memorial Hospital waiting for a knee-surgery. He left the operating room to his daughter.



Just one month after the incident Bethany felt the urge to go back into the water. A small miracle. Since then, she has paddled out with one arm to surf the waves.

By now Bethany Hamilton is a pro. Her accident has never dissuaded her from following her dream. Today she's twenty years old, and she has become a worldwide renown surfer being a star in US media. She's frequently invited as a guest to talkshows, and markets both perfume, jewelry, her book „Soul Surfer“ and a film documentary. To top it all off, her story is leading her to Hollywood. The shooting for the 15 million dollar movie „Soul Surfer“ has already begun. Helen Hunt plays her mother, Dennis Quaid took over the role of her father. Bethany herself does the surfing stunts. The movie about her life can be seen across US cinemas this fall.

Talent. Courage to face life. Bravery. The life of Bethany Hamilton who somehow came closer to her goal by going through a catastrophy.

Links:
Bethany Hamilton        
DVD Heart of a Soul Surfer
Book Soul Surfer
SPONSOR Rip Curl