Known for one of the biggest comeback stories in sports, professional surfer Bethany Hamilton, a committed Christian, has become synonymous with inspiration. As a wife and mother, Hamilton continues to show people around the world how her determination and faith, seeded at the age of 13 when she lost her arm in a shark attack, spills into her everyday life.
Hamilton was the keynote speaker at Save the Storks’ Inspired for Life event in Key Largo, Florida, and shared her journey, including becoming a mother.
Relating to every woman who has had doubts about their ability to handle an unexpected pregnancy, Hamilton shared that her own journey of motherhood has not always been easy. She and her husband were in the middle of creating a documentary about Hamilton’s life when Hamilton discovered she was pregnant.
“I could not wait to be a mom, but not that day. All of a sudden, I felt like I was rejecting motherhood. Sometimes I feel so ashamed of that version of me. Why didn’t I want to be a mother?...Cultural mindset says we have to go live our life and have a career. Motherhood can come later. I was led on by this…I struggled through the first half of my pregnancy. [But when my son was born], I had this overwhelming feeling that I would give my life for [him]. No one can truly explain that feeling...If there is one thing that motivates you, it is your children.”
Save the Storks’ Inspired for Life event brings together those from across the United States who are working together to affirm a woman’s choice to become a mother and helps eliminate obstacles to provide equal opportunities for future moms. The organization works to create a community of support through partnerships with pregnancy health clinics, churches and local providers.
"Save the Storks is dedicated to providing empowerment, meaningful resources and hope to women everywhere," said Diane Ferraro, CEO of Save the Storks. "Bethany Hamilton is an inspiration to girls, teens and women because of her perseverance and determination, no matter what obstacles have been in her way. She has proven to the world, as a successful professional world-class athlete and a thriving, loving mother to four children, that women must be given the opportunity to choose motherhood. Bethany is a beacon of hope for women everywhere and is a phenomenal role model for motherhood.”
Save the Storks’ mission is to serve the whole family, not just women facing an unexpected pregnancy. The organization empowers women with resources, education and support to help them choose life. Save the Storks believes children in the womb need to be protected and welcomed into this world with inherent dignity.
About Save the Storks
Save the Storks' mission is to create a story of hope and empowerment for every woman in an unplanned pregnancy. A nonprofit that began in 2012, with headquarters in Colorado and staff across America, Save the Storks is 100% funded through the support of donors. Save the Storks is ECFA certified, a top nonprofit organization on Charity Navigator and Ministry Watch, a five-star charity on GreatNonProfits.org and has a 4.3-star rating on Google reviews. The organization equips, educates and trains pregnancy clinics and churches across the United States to help them empower women to choose life. Save the Storks has captured the imagination of millions with its innovative mobile medical clinics, known as the Stork Bus. There are 101 Stork Buses on the road in 34 states. Four out of five women who board a mobile medical clinic choose life.