FILE – Pro Surfer Bethany Hamilton
Originally appeared on E! Online
Shark attack survivor Bethany Hamilton is making an urgent plea on behalf of her family.
The pro surfer shared Oct. 12 that her nephew Andrew, 3, had been hospitalized after drowning and needed help from a medical expert.
"HELP," the 34-year-old wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of the boy helping to carry a surf board. "My precious nephew was medivaced to kapiolani in Oahu this morning after drowning last night. He still has a heartbeat and has fight in him."
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Hamilton, who has two older brothers, continued, "We are wrecked. But I know how proper medical support can make or break someone’s chance of survival and in this case we’re asking for help from anyone who has information of what we can do to give my nephew the best chance."
Hamilton, a mother of four who documented her harrowing tale of surviving a 2003 shark attack that cost her her left arm in a 2004 memoir and the 2011 film "Soul Surfer," shared her post on her eldest brother Noah Hamilton's Instagram.
The 42-year-old issued a separate plea on his social media and provided more details about the incident.
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"Join us in prayer for my brother’s 5th youngest child Andrew as he was life flighted to Oahu in the middle of the night," he wrote on Facebook Oct. 12. "He’s 3.5 going on 5. He’s a strong resilient kid and an amazing swimmer. He was found not breathing in shallow water of bath tub. His vitals were enough to get him to oahu."
Bethany Hamilton meanwhile updated her Instagram post to note that that the family had gotten in contact with Dr. Paul Harch, who operates a hyperbaric oxygen therapy clinic in New Orleans and has noted on his website he has treated patients who suffered drowning injuries.
Bethany Hamilton shared another update Oct. 13. "Please pray for Andrew and all his loved ones," she wrote in the comments section of her post. "Pray that we can do our best through this hard time. Much love."
