Bethany Hamilton Survived a Shark Attack and Became a Mom of 4

At the age of 13, Bethany lost her arm in a shark attack. However, her indomitable spirit prevented her from despairing. She became a professional surfer and a mother of multiple children. Her story and resilience are a source of pride.

Bethany’s story

When Bethany was 13, she was attacked by a tiger shark and lost her left arm. But just 1 month after the attack, Bethany returned to the board and started training to become a national surf champion.

It was hard for Bethany to learn to stand on the board again, but she wasn’t going to give up her passion. She decided not to use a prosthetic with flexible joints when she realized that it wouldn’t help her. To make it easier to control the board, her father Tom made a special handle to prevent her from falling off while paddling out to the waves.

Bethany met her husband Adam Dirks through mutual friends. In 2013, they exchanged oaths in Hawaii, and Bethany left a moving message on her social media, «I met an amazing man, now we will spend the rest of our lives together, and I’m so excited! I love you Adam!»

They had Tobias, in 2015, Wesley, in 2018, and Micah in 2021. In 2018, the documentary film Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable was released and talks about the happy life, marriage, and motherhood of Bethany.

Bethany Hamilton is expanding her family!

In July 2023, Bethany and Adam became parents for the fourth time: their daughter Alaya Dorothy Dirks was born. «We are feeling really grateful to God for the blessing of family. We are honored for this opportunity to raise our children, to love, serve, protect and guide them through life!» Bethany wrote.

“Adam and I, and our whole fam, are so excited to be growing our family! I believe that life is a gift, and each and every life has value.” After experiencing motherhood for 8 years, Hamilton has come to a profound realization: her children mean more to her than any amount of personal time.

Sharing her heartfelt beliefs, she stated that having a joy-filled family is a form of wealth that is truly valuable. She went on to encourage others to focus on what is right in front of them — the blessing of their family — rather than pursuing materialistic possessions. For those who already recognize this blessing, she hoped they would be reminded to embrace it fully.

Motherhood is a tremendous job, and being a mother of many children is a task only for the bravest. Here’s another mother of four who candidly shows her body.