Miguel Torrente will never forget the joy on his daughter Arianna’s face as she surfed in Hanalei. It wasn’t even so much the surfing as it was the person who was by her side. “I cannot express to you enough
Miguel Torrente will never forget the joy on his daughter Arianna’s face as she surfed in Hanalei.
It wasn’t even so much the surfing as it was the person who was by her side.
“I cannot express to you enough what that joy is for us,” Torrente said.
Eight-year-old Arianna was one of 10 children from across the U.S. who have endured medical challenges and recently spent time at a surfing camp in Hanalei courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Each spent time with Kauai’s Bethany Hamilton, and each had the time of their lives, said James Donnelly, director of development with Make-A-Wish Hawaii.
“It was an incredible experience and the community came together in a big way,” he said.
“Bethany was great in the water staying close to the kids and chatting as well as riding waves with them. Each of the 10 kids also had one-on-one time with Bethany. They were able to ask her questions and share their stories.”
Their stories, like that of Timothy Bannon, touched many hearts. The 8-year-old from suburban Chicago was born with a genetic condition called Holt-Oram syndrome, heart/hand syndrome. It is a condition that causes fetal malformation of the heart and upper limbs.
“Timothy has a very extreme case and has a complete absence of arms and had such severe heart deformities that he had his first surgery at 8 days old,” said his mother, Linda.
He has had several surgeries and some minor procedures since then to make six procedures in as many years.
“All of his previous surgeries had been during infancy and he couldn’t effectively express his discomfort, but at 6 years old he had so much to say and to watch this little boy look so miserable, so out of character, broke my heart,” his mom said. “He felt so downtrodden and I took a chance with Make-A-Wish to let him see that life isn’t all pain, hospitals, doctors, medicine and misery.”
Tim enjoyed the recent camp in Hanalei. He is a social butterfly and loved making new friends, his mom said. And he was thrilled to meet Bethany Hamilton — someone else who has a limb difference and still goes after all life has to offer,” she said.
The first day of the camp he got scared on the surfboard and didn’t want to go back out. The second day, he did.
“But everyone was so encouraging and he got back up and just loved it,” Linda said. “He doesn’t understand it now, but it was such a metaphor for what his life is like and will always be. It was a moment that he will be able to draw on whenever he faces a challenge.”
The experience was much the same for Arianna Torrente, who was born with pulmonary atresia, a form of heart disease, and has survived open heart surgeries.
She saw “Soul Surfer” in 2011, the story of Hamilton, and was inspired.
“Bethany Hamilton became her hero,” Miguel Torrente said.
When Make-A-Wish told Arianna she could put in for a wish, she knew what she wanted: To surf with Hamilton. Earlier this year, she and her family arrived on Kauai’s North Shore.
“The best part of it, not only did my daughter get to meet Bethany and her family, but other kids who have gone through a lot,” Miguel Torrente said.
He said Arianna was “star struck” at meeting Hamilton.
“She was happy, she couldn’t believe it,” he said.
Those moments delighted her parents, too.
“It’s hard to explain to other parents,” he said, “to watch the children experience a dream come true after what they went through.”
Hamilton, he said, proved to be a gracious host for each of the children at the Make-A-Wish camp who had been diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition.
The Hamilton family, as well, came out to help and give their time. Brothers Timmy and Noah Hamilton were in the water from start to finish and parents, Shari and Tom, always had their eye out for the kids. Surf instructor volunteers included Evan Valiere, Kalani Vierra and Kaimi Kaneholani.
“When kids make celebrity wishes, it’s not guaranteed how long a celebrity will spend with them,” Donnelly said. “But Bethany and her entire family spent two full days with the kids. Spending time with these kids was very genuine for her.”
“Bethany had beautiful words to say to all the children,” he added. “She made all the children feel really good about themselves.”
Arianna, a third-grader, did well riding the waves with Hamilton and others. Since she returned home, she’s been excited about her adventure and her new friendships on Kauai.
“She’s walking on cloud nine,” Miguel Torrente said. “She can’t stop talking about it.”
