Bethany Hamilton Accident: How Did Bethany Hamilton Lose Her Arm In Real Life?

At age 13, a shark chewed off her left arm, potentially ending her bright career. However, she quickly picked up surfing again, winning a national championship in 2005.

Bethany Hamilton Accident: How Did Bethany Hamilton Lose Her Arm In Real Life?

On the morning of October 31, 2003, Hamilton, her best friend Alana Blanchard, and Blanchard’s father and brother went surfing at Tunnels Beach in Ha’ena.

Hamilton was lying on her board when she suddenly felt a flurry of pressure on her left arm, and for a few seconds, she was pushed back and forth.

She didn’t feel any pain at first, but as her stunned friends discovered, her left arm had been severed almost to the shoulder and the water around her had turned red.

From the leash of his surfboard, Blanchard’s father quickly made a tourniquet and guided everyone to the shore. When Hamilton was transported to Wilcox Memorial Hospital, her father was already scheduled to undergo knee surgery.

She underwent multiple surgeries after the attack and lost almost 60% of her blood, but after a few days, she was stabilized and released.

It was discovered that Hamilton had been attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark when the incident gained widespread notice. She intended to get back to surfing as soon as possible, appearing unaffected by the incident or the drastic change to her body.