Who is Adam Dirks? Get to know Bethany Hamilton's husband
Bethany Hamilton is an American professional surfer who became famous for surviving a dreadful shark attack in 2003 that claimed her left arm. Despite her condition, she found love in Adam Dirks, and they have been married for over a decade.
Adam is a gift from God!

Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Adam Dirks is from Kansas in the United States of America.
- At age 13, Adam’s wife lost her left arm to a 14-foot tiger shark, and the story was portrayed in the 2011 movie Soul Surfer.
- Adam and Bethany married on 18 August 2013, and they have four kids.
- The couple competed on the 25th season of The Amazing Race.
Profile summary
Full name | Adam Dirks |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 12 October 1988 |
Age | 36 years old (as of May 2025) |
Zodiac sign | Libra |
Place of birth | Kansas, United States of America |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Marital status | Married |
Wife | Bethany Hamilton |
Children | 4 |
University/college | Tabor College |
Profession | Minister, teacher |
Background information of Adam Dirks
Bethany Hamilton's husband was born and brought up in Kansas, United States of America. During a video of the couple tagged Our Love Story Revealed in August 2020, Adam said:
My name is Adam Dirks of Kansas. Yeah, I grew up in Kansas, a small agricultural town.

Source: Original
What does Adam Dirks do for a living?
He works as a youth leader, teacher, and minister. He previously worked as a substitute teacher and helped establish a ministry in Kauai focusing on running clubs and summer camps for high school students.
Adam's passion is spreading God's word and encouraging youth. He enjoys surfing, hiking, and spearfishing in his free time. He has also appeared and competed with his wife in the 25th season of the CBS series The Amazing Race.
He was also featured on The Current: Explore the Healing Powers of the Ocean in 2014 and Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable in 2018, per his IMDb profile.
Who is Adam Dirks married to?
Adam's wife is Bethany Hamilton. She is a professional and award-winning surfer. She is a motivational speaker who has achieved success despite a shark attack at age 13 in 2003 that left her with one arm. She reportedly said she draws strength from her Christian faith in God.
Her career highlights include winning the ESPY Award for Best Comeback Athlete in 2004. She also competes in the World Surf League (WSL) and specialises in free surfing. In response to an interview question with WhatCulture! in September 2011, she said:
Yep, I’m still a pro surfer, and that involves competitive surfing, but also free surfing. I like big wave surfing as well. There are a lot of different aspects of it that I love. I probably spend about six months on the road, travelling and surfing. It’s awesome; I love it.
Bethany Hamilton, the Amazing Race competitor, also defeated Australia’s world number one, Tyler Wright, in the second round of Fiji's Women's Pro in 2016. She beat six-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore in the third round, as per Fox Sports.

Source: Getty Images
How did Bethany Hamilton meet Adam Dirks?
Bethany Hamilton met Adam through mutual friends in May 2012 on a blind date in Kauai, Hawaii. Their casual beach meetup involved cliff jumping and hanging out with friends. In a blog post tagged Our Love Story, posted in August 2020, Bethany wrote:
Adam was on the island to help start a youth ministry and substitute teach. Some friends gave him my number and encouraged him to call. He took a risk and left a voicemail, and I took a risk and agreed to meet him (after seeing a cute picture of him and some kids playing at the beach).
The youth minister from Kansas was drawn to Bethany's humility and convictions, while Bethany appreciated his selflessness and faith. They quickly connected and got engaged in April 2013.
How long has Bethany Hamilton been married?
She has been married to Adam Dirks for over a decade. Bethany Hamilton married her husband on 18 August 2013 in a romantic wedding at Kauai, where they exchanged vows and celebrated with 300 guests.
On 17 August 2024, she posted a video of them dancing on Instagram and wrote:
Married 11 years. And we will keep holding on, looking for our rhythm and dancing through it all.
In another Instagram post during their wedding anniversary, she wrote:
We are having the best week celebrating our anniversary!!! Through it all, I love life so much with this man! Cheers to many more, my love.

Source: Instagram
Does Adam Dirks have children?
Adam Dirks and his wife are proud parents of four children. Bethany Hamilton's kids include three sons: Tobias, born on 1 June 2015; Wesley Phillip, born in March 2018; and Micah, born on 14 February 2021. Their daughter, Alaya Dorothy, was born in July 2023.
Are Adam and Bethany still together?
Bethany Hamilton and Adam Dirks are still together and going strong. Adam has been a big support and strength to his wife.
Adam Dirks is famous because of his marriage to Bethany Hamilton. How he has supported and loved his family for years puts him on the public radar.
READ ALSO: Bethany Hamilton's shark attack: what happened to the surfer?
Briefly.co.za shared about Bethany Hamilton, an American professional surfer, author and motivational speaker. She is known for surviving a shark attack that claimed her left arm.
She has since defied the odds and become a surfing champion, winning numerous championship awards. Discover the story of Hamilton's shark attack.
Source: Briefly News