“It happened so fast, there was no time to think”. These were the words of the then 13-year-old Bethany Hamilton, America’s potential professional surfing champion.
The date – October 31, 2003.
The time – 0730.
The venue – Tunnels Beach on Kauai, in Hawaii.
Bethany was lying flat on her stomach on her surf board among frolicking turtles with her left arm dangling in the water, when a 14ft (4.3m) tiger shark struck, ripping Bethany’s arm off near the shoulder, leaving a huge U-shaped hole in her board.
Another couple of centimetres deeper, and the attack would have been fatal. As it was, she lost a staggering 60% of her blood.
Bethany had two life-saving moments – the quick thinking of close friend Alana Blanchard who applied a tourniquet, and called an ambulance.
And Bethany’s father Thomas was due to have knee surgery that morning, so daughter took Dad’s place on the operating table.
A month later, the fearless Bethany was back in the water on a larger board, the rest has been her courage, commitment, and lifetime devotion to God.
Those commendations will be put to the test next week in the Rip Curl Pro at the famous Bells Beach, in Victoria, where four-times world champion Stephanie Gilmore, and Bethany Hamilton, will be the star attractions.
The Stephanie, and Bethany, show.
It’s impossible for mere mortals to comprehend how Bethany has fought back from such an horrific attack to be a genuine pro surfer contender.
For starters, having only one arm for balance is just as impossible to comprehend – “I just read the water currents better” is how Bethany describes coping with the obvious difficulty,
The now 21-year-old bubbly American has long plated blond hair, bleached by the sun – reminding me of another blond-haired track champion Betty Cuthbert – the “Golden Girl” of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, with three gold medals in the 100, 200, and relay – another genuine believer in God.
Betty lost form, and interest, for Rome 1960 – hanging up her spikes.
But in 1962, while she was weeding around the flowers in her parent’s nursery at Ermington, in Sydney’s inner west, God spoke to her, saying she must run in the 1968 Tokyo Olympics.
Betty started training that afternoon, and 18 months later won the inaugural women’s 400 flat gold – eight years after her sensational Melbourne successes.
In 1969, Betty was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), and with every year, the iconic lady’s condition worsened.
When I interviewed her in January 2009, for Green and Gold Greats, Betty was confined to either bed, or the wheelchair, she could only move her head a little, her right arm a little less. The rest of her once wonderfully athletic body was totally paralysed.
It had been some eight years since our last face-to-face interview, and my heart sank when I first saw her at her home in Halls Head, a 90-minute drive south of Perth.
Betty greeted me with a smile, and – “David, we’ve had plenty of interviews over the years, especially one memorable night at St Ignatius College in the 70s, at a father-and-son function – but I’m very worried about this one, my memory isn’t what it used to be, nor is my concentration – I don’t want to let you down”.
“Betty, you’d never ever let me down, let’s just see how we go, and when you’ve had enough, we’ll call halt – OK?”.
“Done deal,” said Betty.
The great lady went 25 minutes. it was a struggle, but she made it – reducing me to tears.
“David, you’re crying”.
“Betty, I’m overwhelmed by your courage and commitment, I want to leap over the table, and give you a big hug”.
“I’m waiting, David,” was Betty’s reply.
“Leaping” wasn’t an option, but I circled the table, dropped to my knees, and gave Betty the promised big hug.
We were both in tears.
Of my roughly 80,000 interviews over 45 years, Betty Cuthbert’s will always be the standout, befitting a standout lady who hasn’t deserved the rotten cards she’s been dealt.
Since then Betty has suffered two strokes, is speechless, and currently under 24-hour medical care in a home for the aged, near Perth.
That was her last interview, cementing the standout status.
And cemented in my memory bank are those three words, said with a twinkle in her eye.
“I’m waiting, David”.
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