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American Morning

Brave Surfer, Heart of a Champion

Aired November 25, 2003 - 07:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Bethany Hamilton was at the verge of becoming a professional surfer -- her dream at the age of 13. As it turns out, her skill is exceeded only by her courage.
A few weeks ago early on Halloween morning, Bethany was attacked by a 14- foot tiger shark. She lost her left arm while surfing with a friend in Hawaii. Quick thinking by her friend's father, Holt Blanchard (ph), may have saved Bethany's life. And now, incredibly, she's ready to go back into the water, and very soon.

I had a chance to talk with Bethany about what happened that fateful morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETHANY HAMILTON, VICTIM OF SHARK ATTACK: We were out for about a half hour, and I caught about 10 waves. And then, I was laying on my board sideways, parallel to the waves, and my arm was -- my left arm was laying in the water and my other arm was just holding onto my board.

And the shark just, like, came up and attacked me, and it, like, kind of pulled me back and forth. And it was about a two to three second period. And when it went, like -- when it was attacking me, all I saw was, like, a gray blur. And then, like, the whole (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was wrapped around my board about around halfway -- I mean, not around my board -- my arm.

And then, I just -- I mean, he just pulled me in, and then when we got to the shore, he tied a leash around my arm as a tourniquet. And after that, I blacked out, and then when I woke up, I was laying on the beach.

HEMMER: What do you remember feeling at that point? Were you in shock, would you say, Bethany?

HAMILTON: I was just in shock. I didn't feel any pain, which I'm really lucky, because if I felt pain, things might not have gone as well.

HEMMER: Had you been afraid of sharks before this happened?

HAMILTON: Every surfer probably thinks about sharks and is scared of them, but I didn't really think I'd ever get attacked by one, and most people don't. So, I never really thought of anything like this.

HEMMER: I understand this Thursday on Thanksgiving you plan on going back in the water for the first time, is that right?

HAMILTON: Yes, I can't wait to get out on Thursday, and I'm really excited and I'm not really scared of any sharks. I want to make sure that I catch the first wave on my own with no one else's help, and I want to stay out for as long as I can.

HEMMER: Why did you pick Thanksgiving to do this?

HAMILTON: Actually, I didn't choose go out on Thanksgiving. If I was to choose, I'd be out right now.

HEMMER: Wow!

HAMILTON: But my doctor told me I couldn't go out, because on Thursday I got my stitches out, and he said to wait a week. And so, Thanksgiving was just the day.

HEMMER: Have you found yourself, let's say, reaching for things with your left arm as this substantial adjustment for yourself continues?

HAMILTON: No, I haven't really felt that, but I have, like, this little phantom pain where, like, it feels like it's still there, but, like, it doesn't really feel like it's moving or anything.

HEMMER: What is that -- can you relay that to us at all? What is that like?

HAMILTON: It's, like, weird, like, it feels like it's still there, but it's kind of like a pressure on my arm. But it, like, feels like totally abnormal.

HEMMER: Wow! I understand that you're working on a prosthesis right now, talking with doctors. What can you tell us about that?

HAMILTON: I will be going to visit them soon in the next couple of weeks in California, and I'm looking forward to that. And I did meet this -- we did meet this surfer that lost his arm, and he has a good -- he is an engineer, and he made his own arm especially for surfing. And he might help us out a lot.

HEMMER: What would it mean to you if you were not able to get on a board again in the water?

HAMILTON: I don't know. That would be, like, the worst thing ever. I'd probably be not so happy, and I'd be in a bad mood, and I'd have a hard time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: What an amazing young woman. I asked her how she stays so positive, too. So, many people comment about her positive attitude so soon after her tragedy. She says she has an extremely strong family. She has an extremely strong faith in God. And those two factors help her get through a very, very difficult time right now. Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, what a day to give thanks, the family says.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.







Aired November 25, 2003 - 07:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Bethany Hamilton was at the verge of becoming a professional surfer -- her dream at the age of 13. As it turns out, her skill is exceeded only by her courage.
A few weeks ago early on Halloween morning, Bethany was attacked by a 14- foot tiger shark. She lost her left arm while surfing with a friend in Hawaii. Quick thinking by her friend's father, Holt Blanchard (ph), may have saved Bethany's life. And now, incredibly, she's ready to go back into the water, and very soon.

I had a chance to talk with Bethany about what happened that fateful morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETHANY HAMILTON, VICTIM OF SHARK ATTACK: We were out for about a half hour, and I caught about 10 waves. And then, I was laying on my board sideways, parallel to the waves, and my arm was -- my left arm was laying in the water and my other arm was just holding onto my board.

And the shark just, like, came up and attacked me, and it, like, kind of pulled me back and forth. And it was about a two to three second period. And when it went, like -- when it was attacking me, all I saw was, like, a gray blur. And then, like, the whole (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was wrapped around my board about around halfway -- I mean, not around my board -- my arm.

And then, I just -- I mean, he just pulled me in, and then when we got to the shore, he tied a leash around my arm as a tourniquet. And after that, I blacked out, and then when I woke up, I was laying on the beach.

HEMMER: What do you remember feeling at that point? Were you in shock, would you say, Bethany?

HAMILTON: I was just in shock. I didn't feel any pain, which I'm really lucky, because if I felt pain, things might not have gone as well.

HEMMER: Had you been afraid of sharks before this happened?

HAMILTON: Every surfer probably thinks about sharks and is scared of them, but I didn't really think I'd ever get attacked by one, and most people don't. So, I never really thought of anything like this.

HEMMER: I understand this Thursday on Thanksgiving you plan on going back in the water for the first time, is that right?

HAMILTON: Yes, I can't wait to get out on Thursday, and I'm really excited and I'm not really scared of any sharks. I want to make sure that I catch the first wave on my own with no one else's help, and I want to stay out for as long as I can.

HEMMER: Why did you pick Thanksgiving to do this?

HAMILTON: Actually, I didn't choose go out on Thanksgiving. If I was to choose, I'd be out right now.

HEMMER: Wow!

HAMILTON: But my doctor told me I couldn't go out, because on Thursday I got my stitches out, and he said to wait a week. And so, Thanksgiving was just the day.

HEMMER: Have you found yourself, let's say, reaching for things with your left arm as this substantial adjustment for yourself continues?

HAMILTON: No, I haven't really felt that, but I have, like, this little phantom pain where, like, it feels like it's still there, but, like, it doesn't really feel like it's moving or anything.

HEMMER: What is that -- can you relay that to us at all? What is that like?

HAMILTON: It's, like, weird, like, it feels like it's still there, but it's kind of like a pressure on my arm. But it, like, feels like totally abnormal.

HEMMER: Wow! I understand that you're working on a prosthesis right now, talking with doctors. What can you tell us about that?

HAMILTON: I will be going to visit them soon in the next couple of weeks in California, and I'm looking forward to that. And I did meet this -- we did meet this surfer that lost his arm, and he has a good -- he is an engineer, and he made his own arm especially for surfing. And he might help us out a lot.

HEMMER: What would it mean to you if you were not able to get on a board again in the water?

HAMILTON: I don't know. That would be, like, the worst thing ever. I'd probably be not so happy, and I'd be in a bad mood, and I'd have a hard time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: What an amazing young woman. I asked her how she stays so positive, too. So, many people comment about her positive attitude so soon after her tragedy. She says she has an extremely strong family. She has an extremely strong faith in God. And those two factors help her get through a very, very difficult time right now. Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, what a day to give thanks, the family says.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.