Girl who survived brutal Florida shark attack returns to waters where it happened: 'She's fearless'

A young miss who survived a shark onslaught successful Florida returned to the formation arsenic portion of the healing process.

The shark onslaught took spot connected June 12, 2025, disconnected Boca Grande, which is connected the state's southwest seashore adjacent Fort Myers.

Leah Lendel was 9 erstwhile she was bitten during a snorkeling travel with her family. The wound astir severed her manus off.

"It's benignant of similar healing for maine to travel implicit here, due to the fact that seeing this hap to maine and sometimes I adjacent hide I got a shark bite," Leah told WZVN-TV.

Leah Lendel, who survived a shark onslaught astatine Boca Grande astir a twelvemonth ago, returned to the tract arsenic portion of her healing process. (GoFundMe)

The onslaught occurred 10 months ago, and Leah inactive vividly remembers the moment.

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"You see, like, the achromatic worldly successful the water? That's wherever helium was," Leah said, according to WZVN.

Police assemblage camera captured witnesses rushing to assistance prevention her life. The miss was airlifted to acquisition exigency surgery.

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Leah Lendel was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital pursuing the shark attack, wherever she underwent country that lasted hours portion doctors worked to prevention her hand. (WTVT-TV)

Surgeons were capable to successfully reattach her manus pursuing the attack. Leah, present 10, is inactive moving to regain her spot day-by-day.

"I can't truly play soft now, and I can't prime up much than 8 pounds, but maine and my therapist are moving for maine to get my wrist spot back," Leah told WZVN.

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Doctors astatine Tampa General Hospital worked to prevention the 9-year-old's hand. (WTVT-TV)

The girl's parents expressed however arrogant they are of their daughter's resilience passim a achy experience.

"We thought, you know, it’s going to beryllium 100% amputation. And truthful that we were conscionable praying. Of course, we, you know, we were hoping. But erstwhile you spot thing this bad, you conscionable recognize world hits. You’re like, this is what it is," Nadia Lendel told WZVN.

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First responders springiness aesculapian attraction to 9-year-old Leah Lendel aft she was bitten by a shark. (Lee County Sheriff's Office)

Despite the traumatic experience, Leah dreams of getting a snorkeling license, and her ma remains tense but supportive.

"She’s not afraid. She’s fearless," Nadia said.

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Leah encouraged others to not fto fearfulness halt them from fulfilling their dreams.

"It’s truly uncommon the sharks adjacent onslaught a idiosyncratic and I would urge not swimming successful murky water," Leah said.