If your arm was bitten off by a shark while surfing, the chances are you wouldn’t be getting back in the water any time soon.

Not Bethany Hamilton. In 2003, she was out surfing with her friend Alana Blanchard when she was attacked by a 15ft tiger shark. Luckily she survived but lost her left arm.

Not surfing after the accident just wasn’t an option in Bethany’s mind. Only a month later, she was back on a new custom made board with a handle to help her paddle.

She went on to compete in the major NSSA comps before coming 3rd in the 2008 Roxy Pro, 2nd in the ASP Junior World Champs 2009 and 1st in Surf n Sea Pipeline Womens Pro earlier this year.

Now, there’s a Hollywood film made about Bethany’s accident and her inspirational journey to recovery called Soul Surfer, starring Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt.