I walked into the garage. A lifetime’s worth of surfboards filled racks covering the width of the back wall, with a second row stacked horizontally to the ceiling. For any surfer or casual observer, the plethora of shapes and sizes would be impressive. But these surfboards hold more than stories of iconic waves ridden or travels to far reaches of the globe in search of aqueous perfection. Many of them have an extra feature – a rubber handle, cemented near the nose. They are tangible proof that impossible is an opinion, not a fact, and that through relentless optimism, bravery, and grit, we are capable of extraordinary achievements.
At my side is Tom Hamilton, father of Bethany, the man who invented those handles that enabled his daughter to return to surfing less than a month after she lost her arm to a tiger shark attack. 20 years later, his eyes still gleam when he talks about that moment of innovation.
“All the tools, techniques and technology in the world are nothing without the head, heart and hands to use them wisely, kindly and mindfully.” - Rasheed Ogunlaru
Three years after Bethany, one of my closest friends was attacked by a shark, and it changed my perspective of the ocean forever. Eight years after that, my dad and I introduced Sharkbanz into the world with the hope that we could provide a way for others to reduce the risk, transform fear, and experience peace of mind in the sea. Sharkbanz is also a tool, and combined with a healthy respect for these animals, it can be used mindfully to achieve that goal.
We are now a decade into that mission, and standing in Bethany’s garage, I am rightfully pinching myself. This meeting isn’t the result of pursuing her with a successful sales pitch. Rather, it’s the result of her learning about some of the benefits from a few of our customers and recognizing the obvious bonus for her and her ocean centric family.
I have a reverence for Bethany, first admiring her for the incredible physical feats she’s accomplished in surfing. Over time, I came to respect her even more as I saw her open herself to others faced with great difficulty in loss of limb or disease. The amount of energy required to emotionally absorb the weight of others’ deepest challenges and help them through their darkest days borders on sainthood, and I believe Bethany is a modern-day saint. This is the woman that gave birth to her first child, surfed Jaws, and beat two former world champs in firing Cloudbreak, all within 12 months – and still made that space for hundreds of strangers.
In 2019, Aaron Lieber brought Bethany’s story to the world in a way that it had never been told, showcasing her as the dynamic hero she truly is. If you haven’t seen his documentary Unstoppable, rent it on your favorite streaming platform this week. It’s the type of film that inspires you to be the best version of yourself and take no day for granted.
Now I’m standing next to Aaron in the garage, and we are preparing to shoot a commercial with Bethany over the next two days. He’s easily the best man for the job, given his almost brotherly relationship with Bethany built over the five years it took to shoot and edit Unstoppable. The theme is about finding a place to be free. For myself, Bethany, and many others, that place is the ocean. It’s where we go to connect with ourselves, mother nature, and our friends. In or underneath the surface, the noise shuts down, replaced with a rush of adrenaline, the rhythm of the stroke, or the calm of the glide. Momentarily, we are present, and we are free. Sharkbanz is there to help people focus on whatever element of the ocean provides that feeling, and Bethany is uniquely qualified to share that knowledge.
Over the course of the next couple days, I developed a greater understanding of Bethany as a person and a mother. At this stage of her life, she is first and foremost a mother and a wife to Adam, her pillar of a husband. Their four children each radiate with the aloha spirit, exhibited in their own unique way. They take care of each other, preparing meals and cleaning for their siblings so mom and dad can focus on providing for the family and nursing Alaya, only 8 months old. They can ride anything with wheels, throw anything that’s meant to fly (or not!) and thrive in an environment where it’s understood that growth comes from taking calculated risks.
On the final night, we all prepare dinner together and sit by the fire as a big crew – our team, Bethany and Adam’s family, and Aaron and his camera wizard Dan. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for this opportunity and everyone’s collective effort to produce something special. Later this year, I’ll be getting married, and I ask Bethany and Adam if they have any advice. She says, “Learn each other’s love languages, and listen.” More tools built for success. We are listening. Thank you, Bethany.
Written by Nathan Garrison, Sharkbanz Founder
