06/10/2026
As part of the SCWC - America 250 project, we involved the students of St. Charles Parish Public Schools. They were asked to write essays of women who influenced women in the past 250 years. 21 essays were chosen to share with our project. Over the next several weeks we will share these inspiring essays.
Thanks to all the students and the teachers who guided them during this project!
The Tale of a Surfer
Written by Isabella Fierro, J. B. Martin Middle School
Imagine, you're one of the top surfing prospects, about to be sponsored by one of the top three surfing sponsors in the country, and then a thirteen foot-six-inch Tiger Shark comes and bites your arm off. Well, that's exactly what happened to Bethany Hamilton. When she was just thirteen years old, she was attacked by a shark while surfing Hawaii's surfing hotspot, “Tunnels Beach.” Bethany Hamilton is a woman of influence by persevering through surviving a traumatic shark attack and chose to still surf professionally becoming one of the world’s best champion surfers.
Bethany Hamilton went through a traumatic shark attack when she was just thirteen years old while surfing with her best friend Alana Blanchard. On October thirty first Bethany went out surfing with Alana, Alana’s brother, Byron, and Alana’s dad, Holt. While Bethany and Alana were sitting on their boards talking, Bethany felt a lot of pressure and a pull on her left arm. Then the water started turning red with blood. Then Alana, her brother, and her dad realized there's a shark in the water. They quickly tried to get her out of the water and to a hospital. They set her on Holt’s surf board and he used a surf board leash to make a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. Byron quickly ran to the truck to get a phone and called 911 and Bethany’s Mom. While in the ambulance Bethany said, “He whispered in her ear, “God will never leave you or forsake you. He was right”” (Bethany’s). Because God never left her side and helped her to survive.
Amazingly and surprisingly to millions of people Bethaney Hamilton survived the attack and wanted to continue surfing when her arm healed. At first it didn’t go so well, she fell continuously and almost never caught a wave. Her dad, Thomas Hamilton, tried to help her by practicing with her. He gave her different sized surf boards and they were trying to figure out how to make it easy for her but she said, “I don’t need easy, I just need possible." (Bethany’s),So her dad made it possible by adding a handle to her surf boards. Now she can grab the handle instead of the side of the board when she duck dives. Bethany continued to compete with the support of family and friends. She went on surfing competitions and then became one of the world's greatest surfers , but she does it all with one arm.
Cleary, Bethany Hamilton is an amazing role model because even at such a young age she still decided to continue chasing her dream. And it's incredible how she was able to do it with one arm. Quoted from Bethany Hamilton her-self, “I don’t need easy, I just need possible." (Bethany’s) proof that anything you set your mind and heart to is possible.
Work Cited
“Bethany's Story.” Soul Surfer, https://bethanyhamiltonsoulsurferproject.weebly.com/bethanys-story.html. Accessed 13 April 2026.
Written by Isabella Fierro, J. B. Martin Middle School
Bethany Hamilton was born on the island of Kauai, Hawaii on February 8th, 1990 to parents Tom and Cheri Hamilton. She has two older brothers, Noah and Timmy. Both of her parents, as well as her...
