Soul Surfer Fascination!

Bethany Hamilton

It all started when I saw this article in my e-mail at work:

http://bgca.org/newsevents/TheScoop/Pages/SoulSurfer_042011.aspx

Bethany spoke at a recent national Boys & Girls Club conference as a motivational speaker for the teens and leaders in attendance.  I thought, "Dang, I wish I could have been there!"  I remembered hearing about her experience years ago-- the girl who got her arm bit off in a surfing shark attack.  Pretty sure everyone has heard about it... but how did I not pay more attention to this inspiring individual?  She is THE bomb.  I'm totally impressed with her optimism and drive to be successful, despite her circumstances.

So I read the article and clicked on a few more links that lead me to the official website for "Soul Surfer" the movie.  Yay!

After watching the movie trailer I decided I definitely wanted to see it.  I really love movies based on true stories because they have so much more significance and meaning.  And THIS was an amazing story.  

I explored the website and read the basic facts of Bethany's experience, which speaks so much of her faith in Christ, faith in God, and her deep belief in her purpose right now-- to be a light for others.  Such an amazing person!  The more I read,  the more I was intrigued-- the more I REALLY wanted to see this movie.

I also watched this:

http://www.soulsurferthemovie.com/_Interview-with-Bethany/video/1543080/190205.html

It's an interview of Bethany in regards to the making of the movie.  She was totally involved with the making of the film and was on set everyday and had a lot of say in how scenes should go-- basically, she wanted it to be as realistic and accurate as possible and didn't want Hollywood to add unnecessary things.  She wanted it to be a film about faith in Christ... more-so than just some surfing movie.  Once I learned that Bethany was involved in the making of the movie, I REALLY wanted to see it because I believed it would really be her true story.  

So I turned 31 on April 26th and what did I want to do for my Birthday?  Go see "Soul Surfer", of course!  So Cassity came with me and we used a movie package that I won at a luncheon a few weeks ago.  Free movie.  Free popcorn.  Free drinks.  Excellent Birthday. :)  We went to the movie and I LOVED IT.  I cried. I laughed.  I got scared.  I cried more.  I just loved it. 

The movie ended and Cass was like, "Well... what do you want to do now?"  It was my Birthday.  9pm... still plenty of time to do something fun.  Yet all I could think of was going to Barnes & Noble so I could buy Bethany's biography.  Cass probably thought I was a ridiculous nerd (which I am)... but we went to the bookstore and I bought this book:

This is what my cover looks like, which is kind of lame because that's not even Bethany on the cover.  So this is a picture of the book before the movie ever came out:

When I see this picture of her, I'm reminded of how YOUNG she was when the shark attack happened!

Like, seriously, she's just a kid!  (She was 13, to be exact)

How many of us would be smiling after a life-changing experience like this?

They found the actual shark that attacked her, and the size of its jaws were an exact match to the bite mark on her surf board.  Creeeeepy.

So, back to my book purchase, I started reading it immediately.  The more I read the book, the more I loved the movie, and the more I want to see the movie again.  The book was written back in 2005, just 2 years after the attack happened. then there's an addition at the end of a journal she kept during the making of the movie, and an update on her life now.  It's super easy to read because it's basically a conversation with Bethany and the reader.  She tells us of her roots in Hawaii, her amazing, supportive family, her surfing up-bringing, her best friends, the attack and what she can remember, her recovery in the hospital, the flood of support from people all over the world, the "fame" she never would have imagined, her decision to surf again (just 3 weeks after the attack happened), her journey back into the water and to her current status as a pro-surfer!  The book is inspiring, entertaining, and educational!  I learned about all kinds of things from "Surf lingo" to the history of surfing, etc.  Bethany's just super chill and easy-going in the book.  A natural Hawaiian surfer girl. :)

She talked about the making of the movie and how it all came together.  She and her mom actually saw AnnaSophia Robb in "Bridge to Terabithia" and agreed that she would be perfect to play Bethany.  (AnnaSophia is also the gum chewing girl in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and was in "Winn Dixie").  

Bethany was surprised when she first met AnnaSophia and realized how tiny she was!  Bethany is 5'11" and AnnaSophia is obviously much smaller. :)  AnnaSophia had never really surfed before so she had to learn everything prior to shooting the film, but how cool would it be to get surf lessons from Bethany Hamilton?  Very cool.  In the book, I learned that all the "stunt shots" in the movie are actually done by Bethany, which is awesome that she gets to be in it, herself.  Bethany and AnnaSophia clicked right from the start and are really good friends now.  They both share the same Christian beliefs and Bethany mentioned in her book how great it was to have that common ground.

You might be wondering, "How do they make AnnaSophia's arm look like Bethany's in the movie?"

Ta-Daaaaaa

It's like a magic green sleeve!  I don't know how crazy technology works, but somehow they can just digitally remove her arm in the scenes.  Then they added the little stumpy part up near the armpit and Bethany said it looks exactly like her arm.  Well done, special effects team.

Other reasons why I love this movie:  The cast!  Bethany's parents are played by Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt, and I love both of them.  Helen Hunt actually already knew how to surf and did some of her own stunts in the movie-- awesome!  Dennis had never surfed but he loves it now and goes often.  :)  And Bethany's best friend, "Alana", is played by Lorraine Nicholson, daughter of Jack Nicholson.  And of course, who doesn't love Carrie Underwood, regardless of what she's doing?  She is beautiful, inside and out.  Before her big American Idol debut, she was a Christian music singer, so her role as Bethany's church youth leader is perfect.

I went on a road trip with friends this weekend, 8 hour drive one way, and I read my "Soul Surfer" book for most of the drive there.  My friends caught on really quick that I was fascinated with this whole thing like a 5 year old boy and Star Wars.  I kept talking about the book or the movie and would bring Bethany into our conversations like she's been my best friend since 8th grade.  I'm kind of ridiculous.  In her book, Bethany even said how weird it is to be a celebrity.  She said something like, "People see me on TV and immediately feel connected to me and think we're friends.  I can't go anywhere with my friends without being stopped for an autograph or a photo."  I thought, "Shoot... I'm one of those weirdo fan people now."  But it's true.  I totally admire this girl and feel inspired to be a better person-- a stronger person in my faith and the way I live my life.

Here's the funny thing about my obsession with "Soul Surfer":

1)  I almost drowned in the waves at a beach when I was 9 and was rescued by my dad in his long-sleeved button up shirt and jeans.  I was terrified of the ocean for a long time and would even get nervous at the sound of rumbling water in my ears when I took a shower.

2)  I have a fear of deep, dark water when I can't see the bottom.  ie: ocean, lake, dark pools, etc.  (But I love swimming, canoeing in lakes, wave runners/jet skis, boogie-boarding, etc. I just can't let myself think about it too much).  I also tried surfing once on a BYU trip to San Diego-- it's really hard and I maybe got up for like 3 seconds.

So take Bethany Hamilton's experience: Surfing in deep, dark waters in a secluded surf spot on the tip of the shore in Hawaii... a shark comes out of nowhere and bites her arm off in 2 seconds... yeah.  That confirms all of my fears and then some!  I'm surprised I can even think about it or talk about it or want to watch the movie again.  But just as she told the movie director-- she didn't want the movie to be about surfing-- she wanted the movie to be about faith in God's plan.  And that is powerful. 

So I've seen the movie.  I've read the book.  I've looked at pictures.  I've watched videos and interviews.  I'm a fan.  I'm a groupie.  I'm a follower, if you will.  And I want to be different.  I want to be changed by what I have been thinking over the past week or so.  

Bethany's goal in life is to share God's love in all that she does.  Sure, she's a pro surfer and travels the world and does interviews and is a motivational speaker and what not.  It's not about the surfing.  It's not even about the shark attack.  It's all about sharing the message of faith and making sure people know that God loves them and has a plan for them.  How familiar is this to so many of us?  Yet how often do we really make that a part of our conversation or even our thoughts?  I had a lot of time to think over the weekend and thought about how I can be stronger-- how I can be more true to what I know and believe.  Bethany often referred to different verses in the Bible that have helped and inspired her along the way. Jeremiah 29:11.  Proverbs 3:5-6. She has a firm testimony of prayer and knows God is aware of us.  She knows we go through trials-- even if we don't know why-- to become stronger and to learn what God wants us to learn.  And if Bethany has ever asked herself, "Why Me?"... it wasn't because she was angry or upset.  It was "Why has God chosen me to be His instrument... why has He chosen me to share His message?"  But she firmly believes that is her purpose-- to share her story of hope and love.  And she does it without any fear or hesitation.

The way Bethany puts is... she is "tight with God" and that is what's most important to her.  I love that.

I love Bethany's story because it's real.  But we all have our own stories.  Shoot, I have my own story that I just submitted for a little Ensign magazine thing (though I haven't heard back from the lady so I doubt she'll publish it).  But we've all gone through our dark days, only to look back on them years later with a better understanding of why we experienced certain challenges.  I know God has a plan for us, and I know He loves us.  And it's all about His timing-- that's what I've come to learn the most.  He is in charge... and we live our lives according to faith and our actions.  And Life Is Good. 

So yeah, anyway.  Go see "Soul Surfer" if you haven't.  Or better yet, read the book.  And then you'll understand.  :)