SHARK HELL WON''T STOP ME SURFING

ADVERTISEMENTS

BRAVE Bethany Hamilton paints a vivid image of her close encounter with death - aged just 13 - when a shark tore off her arm as she surfed.

Refusing to flinch from the memory, she recalls: ''''It came, literally, out of the blue. Suddenly there was a flash of grey. I felt a lot of pressure and a couple of lightning-fast tugs.

''''The huge jaws of a 15-foot tiger shark covered the top of my board and my left arm. Then I watched in shock as the water around me turned bright red.''''

Waking up after life-saving surgery, her first thought was to ask when she could surf again. And, less than a month after the attack, she paddled out to sea near her home in Kauai, Hawaii, and climbed back on her board.

Now, just 18 months on, the teenager views the loss of her limb as an opportunity to aim even higher in life.

She says: ''''I may be able to do more good having one arm than when I had two. Many people have heard about what happened to me, so I hope my story inspires others not to give up.

''''It's great that what happened to me can maybe help others.''''

Before the shark attack, Bethany's life in Hawaii was idyllic. She lived with her parents, Cheri and Ted, and two older brothers, Timmy and Noah.

A talented surfer, she was schooled at home to allow her extra time to practise in the waves.

When she wasn''''t studying or surfing she''''d go snorkelling over the coral reef, swim with turtles or pick bananas and papayas with her friends.

Hallowe''''en 2003 started as a normal day. Bethany woke at 5am and shared a quick breakfast with her mum before they left to search out their favourite surfing haunts.

At an area called Tunnels, Bethany spotted her best friend, Alana, who was paddling with her father and brother.

Minutes later, Bethany was beside them, her left arm trailing in the sea. Then the shark struck.

As calm now as she was at the time, she said: ''''I just kept telling myself I had to get to the beach. I told Alana I''''d just been attacked by a shark and started to paddle with one arm.

''''I don''''t remember any pain. It did occur to me I could die, but I didn''''t feel frightened.

''''I concentrated on getting to the beach and then, once I was with the doctors, I knew they would take care of me.''''

But the beach was a quarter of a mile away and, by the time she collapsed on to the sand, she''''d lost nearly half of her body's blood.

At hospital her dad, who was about to undergo knee surgery, was horrified to hear his operation had been cancelled because his daughter was being brought in for emergency treatment.

The surgeon dramatically told Bethany: ''''You''''ve lost your arm, now the focus is on saving your life.''''

She was then told shark bites had a high risk of infection because the scavengers'''' mouths are often filthy.

So the wound would have to be thoroughly cleaned and the nerves cut to reduce the potential for future phantom pain.

The wound was left open but packed with gauze to make sure there was no infection before another operation to close the wound was carried out using a flap of Bethany's skin.

And yet the day after the attack she was already thinking about when she could go surfing again.

She was so keen to get back in the sea her surgeon even had to order her not to go swimming and risk her stitches while he prepared her for the second operation.

Bethany left hospital six days later, having already mastered how to dress and tie her shoelaces with one hand. But she was shocked by the reality of her situation when her bandages were removed.

She recalls: ''''I thought I''''d be able to handle it but when I looked at that little stump of an arm held together with long black stitches I almost fainted. I thought I looked like Frankenstein's monster. It was a lot worse than I''''d imagined.''''

While Bethany struggled to cope, her waiter dad and cleaner mum faced ruin over her mounting medical bills and the cost of a prosthetic arm. But neighbours in Kauai were already rallying round.

EVERY night for the first two weeks, friends brought cooked meals for the Hamiltons and $75,000 (around £40,000) was donated to help the family at a fundraiser.

It wasn''''t just neighbours helping. Tens of thousands of people from across the world sent get-well cards and donations. Bethany feared she''''d lost not only her arm but also her chance of succeeding as a surfer - a dream she''''d nurtured since she took up the sport aged five and began competing aged eight.

To the girl who claims to have salt water in her blood, a future without surfing was grim. However, the tide of goodwill inspired her to keep trying. And, in turn, she has inspired thousands of others after relearning how to swim, surf and compete to win.

She says: ''''It's an honour but sometimes weird. My life has changed a lot but I''''m still the same person I was and surfing is still one of the most important things in my life - even though I have to work twice as hard at it now.''''

The number of shark attacks, meanwhile, is rising year by year, even though the shark population is dwindling. In the 1950s there were 12 attacks a year; by the 1980s 20; and last year there were 61.

Last week a British surfer was left with 200 stitches in his leg after a Great White attacked in South Africa.

However, getting back in the sea wasn''''t as traumatic as everyone imagined it would be for Bethany, perhaps because the shark that bit her was quickly caught.

She says: ''''I was more excited. It was important for me to get back to surfing as soon as possible. I couldn''''t imagine not. I''''m glad I didn''''t see the shark attacking. If I had that picture in my mind it would have been much harder to get back in. ''''The area where the attack happened is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It's a very good place to snorkel and the reef is beautiful. There's lots of wildlife there and really good waves.'''' There had been no previous shark attacks in that spot but, understandably, Bethany can''''t bring herself to go back.

She says: ''''I think I''''ll go back eventually but I''''m not in any rush. Alana and I have talked about surfing there together one year on the anniversary.''''

This week Bethany has made her first trip to the UK, the highlight of which will be surfing at the hot spots of Cornwall. There she will show off the skill that saw her finish fifth in a national contest just three months after the accident and lift the Open Women's Division trophy for 2004/05. The only difference in Bethany is she refuses to watch films like Jaws or programmes about sharks. She believes dwelling on what might happen would suck the joy out of her sport. She says: ''''I am taking a risk by going back in the sea but I love surfing so it's worth it.''''

MORE ARTICLES >>