Underneath a warm Waikiki sun with dozens of onlookers gathered upon the beach, pro surfer Bethany Hamilton put on the surfing performance of her life last Wednesday as she helped Nick Vujicic catch the 2-foot waves sliding across Queen's reef.

On most days, a surf lesson at Waikiki wouldn't have warranted the dozens of cheering onlookers that huddled along the break wall, but this surf session was different. Hamilton, 18, who lost her left arm in a shark attack on Kaua'i in 2003, was surfing alongside Vujicic, a 25-year-old Australian who was born with no limbs.

According to doctors, there is no medical explanation for why Vujicic (pronounced VOY-chich) was born without arms or legs. He struggled for many of his earlier years with his handicap, came to grips with his condition as a teenager and has since become an evangelist and source of inspiration for hundreds of thousands of people as he travels the world as a motivational speaker, lending his experiences and words of hope and encouragement to people worldwide.

Vujicic has visited 12 different nations and reached out to an estimated 2 million people. He now lives in Southern California and has started his own nonprofit ministry, Life Without Limbs.

ROLE MODELS MEET

While in Hawai'i speaking to elementary and high school students, Vujicic mentioned to his support staff that he had always wanted to meet Hamilton — a source of inspiration in his own life —and learn to surf.

A few phone calls later, an effervescent Hamilton was in Waikiki, laughing and waxing up a longboard for Vujicic, all the while recapping the finer points of what Vujicic needed to know about surfing.

"Bethany is a huge inspiration to me," said Vujicic minutes before he hit the water. "I've spoken to millions of people across the world, but to be honest, I was (a) little bit nervous to meet Bethany. I've always wanted to surf, and I think Bethany's gonna be a great coach."

Although Vujicic had never before caught a wave, he was in good hands with Hamilton.

Despite the shark attack that claimed her left arm in 2003, Kaua'i's Hamilton has vigorously continued her effort to become a professional surfer. More than halfway through the 2008 women's World Qualifying Series, she sits at the No. 10 position.

With a few well-placed results, she is poised to qualify at the elite level on the World Championship Tour next year.

SURFING TO INSPIRE

"I'm so stoked to meet Nick and take him surfing," said Hamilton. "It's so great to get other people out in the water. I know it's gonna be a really special experience for us both. He's a huge inspiration to me.

"I have three limbs ... he has none. So many people get caught up with what they don't have, but seeing him is just so encouraging. I hope that anyone who sees him surf can get inspired."

And inspired they were. With the help of the Waikiki Beach Boys, Hamilton had Vujicic up and riding within minutes of entering the lineup. As Vujicic, who began his session riding "tandem" on the front of Hamilton's board but would later progress to being pushed into waves on his own board, caught his first 50-yard ride, the dozens of onlookers that crowded the beach erupted in a thunderous approval consisting of whistles, hoots and hollers.

"I can't believe I'm seeing this ... I never thought something like this was possible," said one visibly amazed onlooker at the conclusion of Vujicic's first ride.

Nearly two hours and 20 rides later, Vujicic and Hamilton decided to call it a day. With the sun falling behind the horizon, the pair sat on the golden sand with friends and soaked in the day's experience.

"That was amazing. I think I'm in love with surfing," said an emotional Vujicic. "I really don't know what to say ... to ride a wave like that ... it was completely unreal. And to be out there with Bethany and to have everybody cheering and surfing with everybody — it's hard to put into words, but it was just an amazing afternoon. "One of the best days of my life for sure."

Jeff Mull is a freelance writer on surf-related stories.