Folsom High students received a simple and yet powerful message on Wednesday: “Follow your dreams no matter what.”

The meaning of that message packed a punch because of who delivered it. Eighteen-year-old Bethany Hamilton, a Hawaiian surfer who lost her left arm from a shark attack in 2003, visited Folsom last week to tell her story.

At the time of the attack, Hamilton was a 13-year-old girl who not only loved surfing, but also excelled at it. The attack left her with only one arm, and brought her fame she wasn’t looking for. Thanks to a positive attitude and outlook on life, along with her strong faith in God, Hamilton turned a horrifying event into a positive, and is still living her dream of being a competitive surfer.

“After the accident I became famous because everyone wanted to talk about it,” Hamilton said. “I decided to do it because I wanted to be a good influence on the world, and it’s a good opportunity to share my faith.

“Losing my arm helped me find my purpose in life. Having one arm is the way God uses me. I can still surf and I’m happy.”

About 1,700 students at Folsom High attended the assembly, where the trailer to Hamilton’s documentary “Heart of a Soul Surfer” was shown, followed by an extended interview from Doug Husen, student pastor at New Song Church in Folsom. The assembly concluded with Hamilton answering questions from Folsom High students.

Hamilton’s story is a story about faith, overcoming fear and having a positive outlook on life, among other things. She’s moved on with her life and has succeeded in not letting the loss of her arm stop her from living a normal life. Though she didn’t touch too much on her faith during the assembly, Hamilton stressed in a previous interview that faith is what got her to where she is today.

“We all face adversity at some time in our lives,” Hamilton said. “For me, my adversity was much more than a shark. My adversity was trusting God when life got rough, facing the world at 13 years old, learning to surf again without fear and way more.

“Basically, we have a choice (when adversity hits) and that’s to keep going for it or to give up. I chose to go for it with God by my side. I hope people remember how I got my strength.”

In the days following the attack, Hamilton didn’t think she’d ever be able to surf again. She soon realized, however, that she couldn’t just quit the sport she loves. She knew she would have to at least try to see if she could still do it. Just three weeks after the attack, Hamilton was back in the water surfing. Two months later she returned to competitive surfing and continues to compete to this day. She told the students at Folsom High that she knows that she’ll be surfing until she’s a granny.

“I would tell others to be themselves, to not give up, to love others and to enjoy life,” Hamilton said. “It’s important not to let other people define you. When we run into challenges in life, we can learn and grow from them if we don’t give up. All the good and bad times make us stronger.”