Of course, Bethany was too little to remember any of this, but Noah and Timmy both have lots of adventure stories about life after the hurricane. The military set up a base camp right in the Princeville Park. They flew in daily helicopters supplied with MREs (Meals Ready to Eat). Each day different items showed up at the 5:00 P.M. drop—water bottles, ice, tarps, lights . . . always something different. It was just like a “Mash Camp.” You could stay, or go through the food line for some fresh army gourmet!
It took almost a year for life to return to normal. The Weston Hotel where we had worked had been sold to the Marriot for a rock bottom price of $50 million. The hotel then had to undergo post-hurricane refurbishment, which probably cost as much as the initial price. The Marriot was not hiring back those of us who were union, so both Tom and I had to look elsewhere for work. Tom fought them for six months, writing letters and making phone calls, trying to get his job back. They should have hired him just for his tenacity!
I called a friend from church who owned the Menu Magazine and asked for the job delivering visitor brochures and magazines across the island. This helped our family get back into a good rhythm that would carry us along for the next few years. Money was always tight, but surf was good, and God’s hand was there for us.
As our kids matured, their distinct personalities flourished in their own healthy and vigorous ways, while developing their own walk with God.
Noah was our intense and serious child. His favorite movie was Inspector Gadget and his favorite TV show was MacGyver. I taught him to safely change his first tire when he was only seven years old. He started getting involved in church more during junior high and went to church youth camps and activities. Many of his friends started taking their first steps toward a relationship with Christ as well.
Noah embraced the paintball rage and would disappear into the nearby jungle with his friends, only to reappear dirty and sweaty in the afternoon to compare battle-wound welts. Tom and I passed on our interest in photography to our children. In sixth grade, at Kilauea School, Noah won a state honor for the picture he took of the original Hanalei Post Office, and he won a trip to Oahu.
These two factors may have kick-started Noah toward a career in photography. He developed a talent for taking photos of his friends surfing. It turns out that Noah also has a good nose for business, and we turned over to him the daunting role of managing the family interests and concerns in all things having to do with Bethany’s surfing career. He also shoots all of Bethany’s official photos.
Our second son, Timmy, is Noah’s opposite in many ways. Laid back and relaxed, yet possessing a wry and oddball sense of humor, Tim jokes that he grew up being “Noah’s brother” until Bethany’s shark attack put her on the front pages. Then he went to being “Bethany’s brother.”
One of the things I got involved in early on was a public school release-time program with my long-time friend Barbara Tofte, where kids got an excused absence an hour a week for religious instruction. Because people were touchy about church and state separation, parents had to sign a waiver for kids to participate. To our amazement, lots of parents did.
I was a teacher’s aide to Barbara, and we were able to use that time to share Christ with a group of North Shore kids. It was after one of those classes (where I had to teach the class for Barbara because she was ill) that I had the wonderful opportunity to lead my own son Timmy to faith in Christ.
Barbara had called me at the last minute and said that I’d have to teach the whole class by myself, so I only had time to grab a music video by Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith that told a powerful story about Jesus dying on the cross. On the way home, Timmy, who had recently come close to drowning, asked how he could be sure that he would go to heaven.
For all of his usual playful manner, I could tell that he was very serious, and so we talked about the music video, which compared the difference between heaven and hell. Finally, I just pulled the van off the road and led him in a prayer of faith, asking for forgiveness of sin and inviting Jesus into his little heart to be his Lord and Savior. There is nothing better for a Christian mother than a life-changing event like that!
Tim carved out his own unique personality while sandwiched between two over-the-top siblings. It was Timmy who decided that he would rather bodyboard than stand-up surf, making him the odd one out among the rest of his surfing family. Timmy also got into shooting videos, almost exclusively of his fellow bodyboarders, and then editing them into hour-long movies with no real plot, just great footage and rocking music. He worked alongside guys such as Bob Sato, manager of the Kauai Classic Bodyboard Team.
Also, Timmy is the mischief-maker; if something zany was going on, you could bank on him being right in the middle of it. After camping high in the mountains of Kauai, Tim and some friends decided they wanted to descend the steep, winding 15-mile road on a mattress—an unusual vehicle no matter which way you slice it.
The boys put skateboard wheels on a wooden frame and then tossed an old mattress on it; they called it a “bed sled.” Tim and his longtime friend Pypyr piled onto the mattress and took off down the hill, using their weight to bank the steep turns and dragging the edge of the mattress against the asphalt to brake. Meanwhile, another friend followed in a car so that no one would run them over from behind.
Of course, all the kids got into some sort of mischief—like the common trick of “pool-hopping,” where they and their friends would go from one hotel pool to another, trying to stay ahead of the security guards who were valiantly attempting to keep the pools reserved for tourists and guests only. Not to mention that the security guards knew all the kids by sight.
These were the kind of antics that were hard for us to get upset about when we heard about them, especially considering our past.
Later, all of our children were active with the youth group at North Shore Christian Church (nicknamed The Tent Church, because we met under a large tent), which was doing some really wonderful things, such as mission trips to orphanages. On top of being regulars at midweek Bible studies, the kids helped out as staff during youth camps for the younger kids.
Because Scripture memorization is key to promoting spiritual growth, we found that one of the best ways to memorize God’s Word is through music. God’s Word can help you and your children get through difficult times, guide and direct, correct and help keep you from harm. We learned so many Scripture songs in church and through children’s music videos and DVDs.
On a town trip with the kids, I parked the car in an empty parking lot, and when I came back, someone had parked their car blocking me in. It was an outrage, and I got upset. I thought about letting the air out of that car’s tires! As the kids waited to see what I would do about it, I remembered the words of the Scripture song we were listening to from Romans 12:21: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (NIV). I decided to honor God and not let my sinful nature rule the day. We got into the car and I had to drive over the sidewalk in order to leave.
In addition to church and surfing, our kids were involved in many sports. Soccer and swimming were big with all of our kids. Timmy, in particular, demonstrated a natural ability in just about any sport he tackled; and both of the boys were pretty good at the quick-moving sport of roller hockey.
Having a girl to raise was different than raising two boys, but I pretty much stuck to the same format. I encouraged the kids in all their team sports, because it helped them work together, make friends and establish good, healthy relationships built around activities instead of hanging out at a mall or something else.
As with both boys, we wanted to give Bethany swimming lessons at an early age, but since we couldn’t afford them, I taught her myself. Before long, she was on the local swim team. Soon she was winning swim meets in her age division.
Being on swim team also helped our kids build their endurance in the water. By the time she was seven, Bethany could swim a mile without getting exhausted. This would come in very handy as
she started to surf larger waves farther from shore.
Of course, there was the surfing, surfing, and more surfing!
The local surf shop in Hanalei started a surf team. Charlie Cowden, the owner, hired Russell Lewis as coach and opened the team free of charge to the young kids who would commit to Coach’s training regimen.
Seven-year-old Bethany and her friend Alana signed right up. They were given a nice discount at the surf shop, loaded up with stickers and T-shirts and then put to drilling exercises in between surf sessions. On a team of all boys, they were the only girls.
The combination of swim team and surf team really pushed the girls’ endurance, confidence and skill level; before long they were winning surf contests, alternating between first and second place. Within a few years, it was apparent that Bethany had a shot at being a professional surfer. When I was young, being a pro surfer meant some clothes and maybe a small check if you managed to win a surf contest. Today the sport is fueled by corporations offering winning purses, and by sponsors offering salaries to the top-ranking surfers on their rosters.
Women’s surfing, while still not as lucrative as men’s, is far removed from the stereotypes of beach-betty eye-candy. Any girl talented enough to make it up the ladder in ratings can earn a fair living being a professional surfer. Motivated and encouraged by her equally talented friend Alana, Bethany became a hard-charging fixture around Kauai, dropping in on waves that even surfers years older considered good-sized. When she was still in grade school, we started to travel so that she could compete in the local junior contests on the other islands.
I remember the night when Tom and I sat down and talked about schooling options for our daughter. It seemed that her God-given talent was taking her in a direction that would make typical school unworkable, particularly as her competition schedule and training took place during normal school hours. We decided to enroll her in school courses online. Alana did the same thing; so they each kept their closest surf and training partner. As friends, they strategized, using the same game plan so they could fast-track their surfing careers together.
By the time Bethany was 13, she had a solid track record in junior surfing competition. It couldn’t have come at a better time, because the boys were getting established and independent. Noah had graduated, finished his two years at Heald Business College and was entering into his photography career; Timmy was finishing up high school and looking toward the future. Now my focus could go primarily to Bethany. I became her surf mom and coach, her cheering section, cook, chauffeur and laundry maid. I even videoed her surf sessions so we could critique her later. She managed to get picked up by Rip Curl, which was an important help.
The rest of the family helped Bethany’s blossoming surf career too. It was Timmy who encouraged her to paddle into bigger waves. It was Tom and I who shot hours and hours of video, and Noah took hundreds of photos of her. Nothing makes you learn to surf better than watching yourself to catch and correct mistakes and bad habits.
The prospect of 13-year-old Bethany becoming a professional surfer before she was out of high school was getting brighter. A surfing career, as a believer in Jesus Christ, should not simply be a means for gaining money, trophies or accolades, but a way to give glory to God. I remember that Bethany and I prayed about this very thing several weeks before she was attacked. Our prayer went like this: Lord, bring Bethany into the center of Your will and use her surfing to glorify and honor Your name. It never occurred to us the manner in which God would answer our prayer.
This was a time when our lives had a familiar routine. I’d wake up early, check the surf report and then rouse Bethany to let her know where we might find the best surf. After drinking a quick smoothie, we’d load up our surf van, pick up Alana and then go off to find waves. I would video the girls and get them home by 10:00 A.M. to get the schoolwork started. We then put in a quick afternoon surf session. After dinner, we would watch the video so they could evaluate their performance.
I had never lost the desire to seriously get back into surfing. Ever since Noah’s birth, I’d put my passion aside. Now I decided that this might be the time to get back on the board. In my mind’s eye, I could see myself surfing waves with the girls. Now that would be awesome!
But first I’d need to get back into shape.
Surfing any waves demands strength and endurance. You have to be able to take a punishing wipeout, hold your breath under the crush of gallons of water, and paddle to keep yourself in the surging lineup. I was a long way from my physical prime, but I knew that I had the discipline and motivation to stick to training. I decided that I would get into the local swim club and start working out every day. I dug out my racing-style swimsuit and goggles, picked up some earplugs and packed them and a towel into my beach bag, ready for the day.
I was excited. In a few weeks, if I worked hard, I’d be able to join Noah, Timmy, Bethany and her friends out in the lineup as the winter waves started to arrive. Of course, Tom, would be out there too.
I glanced at the calendar and was reminded that it was October 31. I would drop Bethany off at the beach for some surfing, come home and grab my swim gear and head to the pool for my long-overdue workout regimen. It was a great day to start on my dreams.
Except that things often do not go as planned.
CHAPTER
9
In the Shadow of Death
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to
accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
GENESIS 50:20, NIV
It was late Thursday afternoon after our thrift shop venture to get Halloween costumes when I took Alana and Bethany to a surf break called Tunnels. It was the first place I ever surfed on Kauai. We had just checked another spot that looked really fun, but it was too crowded and didn’t have enough waves for the guys already out there. So we ended up at Tunnels.
That day there were small waves coming in off the corner of the reef, with glassy conditions, the wind being almost nonexistent. By now it was 5:00 P.M. I told the girls they could paddle out for a few waves while I read a book on the beach. What none of us knew was that a shark had been harassing the surfers who had just come in. If we had known that, we would have changed our plans right then and also the next morning.
When the girls reached the lineup, a freak storm showed up out of nowhere, blowing the little waves apart and pelting us all with rain. I ran for cover under the trees as the girls paddled back to the beach without catching a single wave. I sometimes wonder if that storm was part of God’s providence to avoid something from happening when there would have been no one out there in the water to help them.
On Friday, the next morning, I realized it was going to be a full day. The girls were older and stronger now and would soon be surfing the powerful outer reef breaks too far out for me to film. I had my beach bag ready to go swim after I took them surfing. I needed to work up to 60 laps in the pool without feeling exhausted if I was going to surf again and keep up with the heavier stuff the kids were now paddling into.
Timmy was eating breakfast, but Tom was fasting because he was heading to the hospital for an operation on his knee (he had torn his meniscus cartilage while surfing a few years ago, and he’d recently tweaked it again). After he dropped his dad off at the hospital, Timmy was heading off to Kapaa High School.
Tonight was October 31, Halloween 2003. Thirteen-year-old Bethany and Alana had their costumes ready for this evening’s fun. She and Alana had scoured the Kilauea thrift store and had each scored matching “men in black” outfits of suit, loafer shoes, hat and sunglasses. The girls would first go to a Fall Festival at our church with Sarah Hill before cruising with friends all over the neighborhood trick-or-treating.
I checked the surf report.
October is an odd month because the swells are shifting from a southern to a northern direction, occasionally firing off from both directions at once. The surf report wasn’t very hopeful, but part of the duty of a
professional surfer is learning to shred in little mushy waves, which is usually all you have to work with during a contest. You can predict waves all you want, but they don’t always show up the morning of a contest.
As was our ritual, Ginger, our dog, helped me roust Bethany.
“Wake up,” I said. “Let’s go check the surf.”
My job that morning was chauffeur. I also would video surf sessions if the waves were worthy. We had our van, which we nicknamed the “Blue Crush.” It was ugly, but it was perfect for all the sand, wax, wet towels and bathing suits, not to mention how many extra kids and surfboards we could fit into it.
At Wilcox Hospital, Tom wasn’t looking forward to his surgery, but because this was the second repair job on his knee, he thought it would be interesting to watch the surgery, so he opted for a spinal tap rather than full anesthesia. Bethany was taking her sweet time getting ready, so I made her a bowl of Raisin Bran to go as we drove to look for waves. We called Alana to see if she wanted to join us; but unlike Bethany, Alana’s not much of an early riser. Like us, the Blanchards are a dedicated surfing family with a similar routine and would not be far behind after they dropped Alana’s little brother off at Hanalei School.
The sun was just cracking over the horizon as we drove down the hill on our surf check. The view of the bay as you weave down the road leading into Hanalei is spectacular. The bay looked flat with no white water lines showing breaking waves.
Instead of calling it quits, we decided to go all the way to the end of the road. You never know when one of the other spots will have a little something to surf.
After an unsuccessful search, Bethany was resigned to go home and start her online schoolwork. On the way back home, we spotted Alana, her dad, Holt, and her brother Byron. They had just pulled into Tunnels parking lot to check the surf.
Raising A Soul Surfer Page 11