Bethany Hamilton has been a household name in the surf world for years. In 2007, at 13, the Kauai native lost her left arm in a shark attack. Since, Hamilton has turned tragedy into purpose and has used her story to inspire and empower others through her surfing and her non-profit, the Beautifully Flawed Foundation. We caught up with Hamilton’s close friend and the foundation’s executive director, Sarah Hill, to learn the backstory behind the foundation, the different programs they offer, and plans for the future.
What was the inspiration behind Beautifully Flawed?
This organization was established as ‘Friends of Bethany’ in 2007 by the friends and family of Bethany Hamilton when she lost her arm. Empowered by the generosity of a community to support medical expenses and bring comfort in a time of great loss, the Hamilton family decided to use the excess financial contributions to send gifts to other victims of limb loss. As Bethany overcame her own accident and became one of the most iconic surf legends in the world, her Beautifully Flawed Retreats for young women with limb loss was one of service and encouragement to girls who had faced similar traumatic experiences.
Read more at: https://www.theinertia.com/surf/bethany-hamiltons-beautifully-flawed-foundation-empowers-those-whove-suffered-limb-loss/
