On Halloween morning 2003, thirteen year old Bethany Hamilton was attacked bya 14-foot tiger shark, which bit off her left arm and seemed to end her career as a rising surf star. After losing more than 60% of her blood and undergoing several surgeries, Bethany began her recovery.
At a recent screening of Soul Surfer, the insiring true story Bethany Hamilton, I was enveloped into the storyline as it placed me just days before the tragic shark attack. How could Bethany find reason behind this tragedy in the midst of fear and confusion as her life seemed to have spun comepletely out of control? Through her own
determiniation, Bethany was persistant in overcoming the obstacles in her life because of her faith and pushing past the pain of personal loss. The honesty of watching Bethany enter the dark night of the soul for a season of soul searching, battling through the impact zone with the help of family and friends, and rise like a Pheonix on the other side as a better person was inspiring.
During Bethany's heartbreak and soul searching she witnessed the pain, confusion, fear and loss that people go through when she traveled to help the victims of the 2004 Tsunami in Thailand.
Soul Surfer has some of the most wicked camera angels and scenes that I have witnessed in a surfing movie. It is a challenging story that allows you to journey alongside Bethany as she goes through one of the most tragic experiences any one person and her family could go through. Be ready to be moved.
The All-Star cast lead by Annasophia Robb, Helen Hunt (Academy Award® for Best Actress), Dennis Quaid (Golden Globe-nominated actor), make this movie a "can't miss" for families and youth groups in 2011.
Soul Surfer is being relased on April 8th (theatres not yet listed).
Soul Surfer Trailer (official)
Additional resources are available for youth groups and churches through soulsurferwave.com
