Bethany Hamilton is an American professional surfer and writer. She gained widespread recognition for surviving a traumatic shark attack at age 13, in which she lost her left arm, and for her subsequent return to professional surfing. Her experiences are chronicled in her 2004 autobiography, "Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board," which was adapted into the 2011 feature film "Soul Surfer.