Bethany Hamilton, surfer who lost arm in shark attack, is pregnant

KTRK logo
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Bethany Hamilton, the one-armed surfer who inspired millions, is pregnant!
Chris Pizzello / Invision / AP

Bethany Hamilton is best known as the inspirational surfer who survived a shark attack in 2003. But now Hamilton is going to be known for something else: being a mom!

Tap here to view on News app.

Hamilton announced in a YouTube video on Sunday that she and husband Adam Dirks are expecting their first child. The couple confirmed in the video that Hamilton is about 22 weeks or halfway through her pregnancy, that they're expecting a boy, and that Hamilton will continue surfing but will dial things down as she gets closer to delivering.

"I've been surfing throughout my whole pregnancy. I plan to surf as long as I can," Hamilton said in her video. "Once the belly's pretty big maybe just like mellow it out and spend more time swimming and enjoying the ocean and doing other activities."

Hamilton commented on how she'll handle the challenge of raising a child with just one arm. "I'll figure it out and be creative," Hamilton said.

"I kind of forget that I have one arm, a squirming baby and changing diapers and just me could be really challenging but I think how I live life now I just adjust adapt to different things and I'll find my own ways to take care of the baby."

Hamilton became an inspiration to countless across the globe after becoming victorious again in professional surfing after her shark attack. Hamilton wrote about her experiences in the 2004 bestselling autobiography "Soul Surfer," which was later adapted into a 2011 film. Hamilton and Dirks married in 2013.

Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.