"To encourage people"- Bethany Hamilton reveals reason for The Masked Singer appearance

The Masked Singer premiered season 12 on September 25, 2024, after which FOX has released seven episodes. Jenny McCarthy, Nick Cannon, Ken Jeong, Rita Ora, and Robin Thicke serve as the judges for the new episode. Episode 7 was released on November 13, which saw Macaron being eliminated and unmasked.

Macaron was revealed to be surfer Bethany Hamilton, who spent seven weeks on The Masked Singer. Bethany was 13 when she lost her arm in a 2003 shark attack. Her time on the program came to an end following a performance of Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me Maybe.

Judges Rita Ora and Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg successfully identified her, while Ken Jeong mistakenly believed her to be Gypsy Rose Blanchard while Robin Thicke thought she might be Ariana Madix.

In a November 15 interview with People, Bethany disclosed why she wanted to join the reality show as she sought to encourage people to find strength in perseverance.

"We all will face hardship at some point or another in our life, and I really just wanted to encourage people to know that they can endure and persevere, and so much good and beauty can come from some of the most awful things in life," said Bethany.

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Bethany assumed that she was being called out to be the judge on The Masked Singer

Bethany Hamilton had never watched The Masked Singer before being invited to join the show. Initially, she thought she was being asked to be a judge, completely unaware of the actual role she would play. As a mother of four, Bethany's singing experience was limited to lullabies for her children, which she humorously acknowledged wasn't her forte, suggesting she might stick to surfing instead.

Tragically, Bethany recently experienced a devastating family loss. On October 19, she announced the passing of her three-year-old nephew, Andrew, who had been hospitalized on October 11 after drowning.

She shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, expressing her trust that Andrew was now in a beautiful and joyful place with God while acknowledging the deep sadness his loss brought to her family.

"The Lord has received my sweet nephew Andrew into his beautiful care. While my family and I will miss him dearly, we trust that his joy is full with Jesus," wrote Bethany on Instagram.

While Bethany's time on The Masked Singer is over, she reflected on the experience with fondness, describing it as a thrilling challenge and a true joy. She expressed that she felt like she was leading a multifaceted life, but her top priority remained to raise her children to be self-assured and confident individuals, which, according to her, is the most important role.

Bethany Hamilton and her husband, Adam Dirks, have four children: Micah, 3, Wesley, 6, Tobias, 9, and infant Alaya, born in January 2023. Tobias has recently developed a passion for surfing, a development that delighted Bethany and her husband.

The family often enjoys surfing together, with the contestant from The Masked Singer riding the waves alongside her three-year-old, while her husband does the same with their one-and-a-half-year-old, and their two older boys catch waves independently.

As a motivational speaker and author, Bethany is shifting her focus to launching the 'Bethany Hamilton Network,' a platform aiming to inspire people to overcome adversity, foster connections, and live with faith. She also stated that this new venture aligns with her passions, giving her a sense of purpose and fulfillment in her work.

The latest season of The Masked Singer has unmasked eight celebrity contestants, including Natalie Imbruglia as Bluebell, Andy Richter as Dusty Bunny, Bethany Hamilton as Macaron, John Elway as Leaf Sheep, Paula Cole as Ship, Marsai Martin as Woodpecker, Laverne Cox as Chess Piece, and Yvette Nicole Brown as Showbird.