Bethany Hamilton’s nephew Andrew has died at age three, after a drowning accident.
The professional surfer, 34, shared a post to Instagram on October 19 paying to her nephew, who is the son of her brother, Timothy Hamilton, and his wife Kyah Hamilton. Her post came days after she revealed Andrew “was medevaced to Kapiolani in Oahu,” after he was “found not breathing in shallow water of bathtub.”
Last week, she also told her followers how important “proper medical support” can be in terms of survival and wanted to see if anyone could get her family in contact with the right treatment plan or doctor.
Hamilton then confirmed her nephew’s passing in her recent Instagram post, which included a photo of Andrew walking and holding onto a surfboard above his head.
“The Lord has received my sweet nephew Andrew into his beautiful care,” she wrote. “While my family and I will miss him dearly, we trust that his joy is full with Jesus.”
“Here is a prayer of faith that was prayed by my brother, and our whole family, this last week,” she added. “This prayer paints so incredibly what it is to have faith. Faith is to trust that Gods will for our life is greater than our own. Thank you all for the love, prayers, and support inthis trying time.”
In his own Instagram post, Timothy Hamilton confirmed that his son Andrew passed away on October 17, as he had succumbed to “injuries sustained a week prior in a drowning accident.” His death also came “after all of the best life-saving interventions had been exhausted.”
In his tribute, the parent continued: “It hurts terribly and we miss Andrew more than words can express. But we do not mourn as those who have no hope. We rejoice in the certain hope of the glory of God, into whose name Andrew was baptized, whose precious blood washed Andrew clean and made him a child and heir of heaven.”
He shared that Andrew is being mourned by his father, his mother Kyah, and his siblings: Thomas, Joshua, Matthew, Noelle, and John. Andrew is also survived by his grandparents, his aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Bethany Hamilton first gained recognition when she was 13 years old after losing one of her arms in a tiger shark attack while surfing off the coast of Kauai in 2003. Despite her injury, she has continued to surf and even won the Best Comeback Athlete ESPY Award a year later.
However, in 2023 she announced that she would not be competing in World Surf League events if they stick to a new rule that allows transgender athletes to maintain specific levels of hormones to compete in the women’s division.
Responding to critics who suggested her views were transphobic, Hamilton said: “I really don’t think at this point there is a solution that will please everyone. There are different world views and that is part of life. I may not have the perfect answer. But I do feel the way I do and will continue to stand firm in what I shared here.”
