Bethany Hamilton and Laird Hamilton are two of the most famous surfers in the world, but are they related? The answer is no, they are not blood relatives, but they do share some connections through surfing and their Hawaiian roots.
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Who is Bethany Hamilton?
Bethany Hamilton is an American professional surfer and writer who survived a 2003 shark attack in which her left arm was bitten off and who ultimately returned to professional surfing. She was born on February 8, 1990, in Kauai, Hawaii, and began surfing at age four. She won her first surf competition at age eight and became a sponsored surfer by age nine. She was considered a rising star in the surfing world until October 31, 2003, when she was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing with her best friend Alana Blanchard and her family at Tunnels Beach in Kauai. The shark severed her left arm just below the shoulder, causing her to lose over 60% of her blood. She was rushed to the hospital and underwent several surgeries, but miraculously survived the ordeal.
Despite losing her arm, Bethany did not give up on her surfing dreams. She returned to the water just one month after the attack, and learned to surf with one arm. She used custom-made boards with a handle for her right arm, and adapted her balance and technique to compensate for the loss of her left arm. She resumed competing in 2004, and won several national and international titles, including the 2005 NSSA National Championships and the 2014 Surf N Sea Pipeline Women’s Pro. She also became an inspirational speaker, a Christian role model, a best-selling author, a documentary filmmaker, a wife, and a mother of three.
Bethany’s story has been featured in numerous media outlets, such as Oprah Winfrey Show, Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America, People Magazine, Time Magazine, and Sports Illustrated. She also wrote an autobiography titled Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board, which was adapted into a feature film in 2011 starring AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany. In 2018, she released a documentary called Unstoppable, which chronicled her life and career after the shark attack.
Who is Laird Hamilton?
Laird Hamilton is an American big-wave surfer, co-inventor of tow-in surfing, and an occasional fashion and action-sports model and actor. He was born on March 2, 1964, in San Francisco, California, but moved to Hawaii with his mother when he was an infant. He met his adoptive father Bill Hamilton, a renowned surfboard shaper and surfer, when he was four years old on the North Shore of Oahu. He grew up surfing with legends like Gerry Lopez, Mark Foo, and Derek Ho.
Laird became famous for his fearless approach to riding massive waves that were previously considered unrideable. He pioneered the sport of tow-in surfing, which involves using a jet ski or a helicopter to tow a surfer into waves that are too big or fast to paddle into. He also developed other innovations such as hydrofoil boards, stand-up paddle boards, kitesurfing, and wing-surfing. He has surfed some of the most dangerous waves in the world, such as Teahupo’o in Tahiti, Jaws in Maui, Cortes Bank in California, and Nazaré in Portugal. He has been featured in numerous surf films and documentaries, such as Riding Giants (2004), The Wave I Ride (2015), Take Every Wave (2017), and Proximity (2017).
Laird is also known for his fitness regimen and lifestyle brand that promote health and wellness. He has written books such as Force of Nature: Mind, Body, Soul (and of Course) Surfing (2008) and Liferider: Heart Body Soul (and Life Beyond) (2019). He has also created products such as Laird Superfood coffee creamer and Laird Apparel clothing line. He is married to Gabrielle Reece, a professional volleyball player, television personality, and model. They have two daughters together and live in Kauai and Malibu.
How are Bethany Hamilton and Laird Hamilton connected?
Although Bethany Hamilton and Laird Hamilton are not related by blood or marriage, they do have some connections through surfing and their Hawaiian roots. Here are some of them:
- They both have Bill Hamilton as their mentor and friend. Bill is Laird’s adoptive father and Bethany’s surfboard shaper. He has supported both of them throughout their careers and lives.
- They both have appeared on the cover of Surfer Magazine. Laird was on the cover in 1996, 2000, and 2003, while Bethany was on the cover in 2004 and 2011.
- They both have been nominated for the Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year. Laird was nominated in 2001 for his performance at Teahupo’o, while Bethany was nominated in 2004 for her return to surfing after the shark attack.
- They both have been involved in charitable causes related to surfing and the ocean. Laird is a co-founder of the Mauli Ola Foundation, which provides surf therapy to children with cystic fibrosis and other genetic diseases. Bethany is a co-founder of Friends of Bethany, which supports shark attack survivors, amputees, and traumatic injury victims.
- They both have met and surfed with each other. In 2017, they participated in a charity event called Surfing for a Cure, which raised funds for cancer research. They also surfed together at Jaws in 2019, where Bethany rode one of the biggest waves of her life.
Conclusion
Bethany Hamilton and Laird Hamilton are two of the most influential surfers of all time, but they are not related. They do share some connections through surfing and their Hawaiian roots, but they have their own unique stories and achievements. They are both examples of courage, resilience, and passion for the sport and the ocean.
