The name of the American sportswoman Bethanie Hamilton was learned by the people worldwide who even aren't interested in professional sport. Bethanie survived after the sting of the shark and returned to professional sport. About life of not broken girl shot documentary and art films.
Teenage drama
Bethanie was born in Hawaii in 1990. Parents and two brothers were fond of surfing, and at 8-year age the girl participated in competitions too. The beautiful young sportswoman took prizes in more and more serious tournaments year after year.
When Bethanie was 13 years old, one morning she rode with friends the board. When it lay, having shipped the left hand in water, it was attacked by the tiger shark. Ashore the father imposed the plait, having used the strap from the surfboard. After attack of the predator the girl lost 60% of blood until she was taken to hospital. It completely lost the hand – to the shoulder.
The professional doesn't give up
Thoughts of continuation of sports career didn't come to mind to parents or people around: it was talked of survival. In three weeks Bethanie stood on the board again, and one and a half months later began to train seriously. In surfing without hand it was impossible to use last skills, and the sportswoman had to study everything anew. Developed the board on which it was convenient to remove one hand for it. Despite disability, the girl repeatedly won prestigious competitions. For the will to win and return to sport in 2004 it was awarded by ESPY Award awards, and in 2007 shot the documentary. The story about not broken spirit inspired people of the whole world. In 2004 Bethanie wrote the autobiography about fight for return to favourite sport. Not only Bethanie fell the victim of the tiger shark: similar cases occurred in different years. History of the girl is allocated it with the relation to favourite business. In sports meets don't do concessions, and it is necessary to battle against full-fledged people as an equal. Bethanie was succeeded to reach in qualifying tournaments the Junior World Championship on which in 2009 she ranked second.
Life story at cinema
In 2011 history of the girl was recreated in the feature film "Surfer of Soul". The scene with attack of the shark turned out as in real life. The American drama is shot according to the book by Bethanie, but authors of the movie in addition interviewed relatives to find out details which the girl could miss in the autobiography. In the USA the collecting from display of the movie made 44 million dollars. The trace from the shark sting remained also on the board which is stored in California in the museum of surfing now. It is unlikely there will be the person indifferent to the story of the sportswoman with strong character.