Bethany Hamilton
A surfer who lost an arm to a shark at 13 and rode her resilience back to the world stage, becoming a global symbol of unbreakable spirit.
Born 1990 (age 36)·American surfer·Birthday: February 8·Millennials
Biography
Bethany Hamilton was born into the ocean on the island of Kauai, a natural surfer from her earliest days. Her life shifted irrevocably one Halloween morning in 2003 when a tiger shark attacked, severing her left arm. The world expected her story to end there, but Hamilton had other plans. Driven by a deep Christian faith and a fierce love for surfing, she was back on her board within a month, relearning her balance and power with one arm. Her 2004 autobiography, 'Soul Surfer,' transformed a personal tragedy into a public inspiration, a narrative cemented by the 2011 film adaptation. Rather than retreating, she carved a successful professional surfing career, competing against the world's best, and used her platform to advocate for faith and perseverance, proving that a single moment of violence could not define a life built on waves.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Bethany was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bethany Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Bethany's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Earned a 2nd place finish in the ASP World Junior Tour in 2004, just over a year after losing her arm.
- Authored the bestselling autobiography 'Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board' in 2004.
- Won her first national surfing title at the 2005 NSSA National Championships.
- Her life story was adapted into the major motion picture 'Soul Surfer' in 2011.
Did You Know?
She learned to surf on a custom-made board that was longer and thicker than standard to help with stability.
She is married to Christian youth minister Adam Dirks, whom she met through a church group.
She gave birth to her first son in 2015 and has continued to surf while raising a family.
A documentary about her life, 'Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable,' was released in 2019.
“I don't need easy, I just need possible.”
