Shark attacks 9-year-old girl in Florida<\/a><\/h4>\nBody camera video from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office shows how officials responded when a 9-year-old girl was bitten by a shark. (Lee County Sheriff’s Office)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nNEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\nA young girl who survived a shark attack in Florida<\/a> returned to the beach as part of the healing process.<\/p>\nThe shark attack took place on June 12, 2025, off Boca Grande, which is on the state’s southwest coast near Fort Myers.<\/p>\n
Leah Lendel was 9 when she was bitten during a snorkeling trip with her family. The bite nearly severed her hand off<\/a>.<\/p>\n“It’s kind of like healing for me to come over here, because seeing this happen to me and sometimes I even forget I got a shark bite,” Leah told WZVN-TV.<\/a><\/p>\n\n![\"Leah](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1200\/675\/Leah-Shark-Attack-01.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1\")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n\n\nLeah Lendel, who survived a shark attack at Boca Grande nearly a year ago, returned to the site as part of her healing process.<\/span> (GoFundMe)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe attack occurred 10 months ago, and Leah still vividly remembers the moment.<\/p>\n
GOT A TIP?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n“You see, like, the black stuff in the water<\/a>? That’s where he was,” Leah said, according to WZVN.<\/p>\nPolice body camera captured witnesses rushing to help save her life. The girl was airlifted to undergo emergency surgery.<\/p>\n
FOLLOW US ON X<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n![\"Leah](\"https:\/\/a57.foxnews.com\/static.foxnews.com\/foxnews.com\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1200\/675\/Florida-Girl-Shark-Attack-X-Ray.jpeg?ve=1&tl=1\")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n\n\nLeah Lendel was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital following the shark attack, where she underwent surgery that lasted hours while doctors worked to save her hand.<\/span> (WTVT-TV)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nSurgeons were able to successfully reattach her hand following the attack. Leah, now 10, is still working to regain her strength day-by-day.<\/p>\n
“I can’t really play piano now, and I can’t pick up more than 8 pounds, but me and my therapist are working for me to get my wrist strength back,” Leah told WZVN.<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n\n\nDoctors at Tampa General Hospital worked to save the 9-year-old’s hand.<\/span> (WTVT-TV)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe girl’s parents expressed how proud they are of their daughter’s resilience throughout a painful experience.<\/p>\n
“We thought, you know, it\u2019s going to be 100% amputation. And so that we were just praying. Of course, we, you know, we were hoping. But when you see something this bad, you just understand reality hits. You\u2019re like, this is what it is,” Nadia Lendel told WZVN.<\/p>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n\n\nFirst responders give medical attention to 9-year-old Leah Lendel after she was bitten by a shark.<\/span> (Lee County Sheriff’s Office)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nDespite the traumatic experience, Leah dreams of getting a snorkeling license, and her mom remains nervous but supportive.<\/p>\n
“She\u2019s not afraid<\/a>. She\u2019s fearless,” Nadia said.<\/p>\nCLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\nLeah encouraged others to not let fear stop them<\/a> from fulfilling their dreams.<\/p>\n“It\u2019s really rare the sharks even attack a person and I would recommend not swimming in murky water,” Leah said.<\/p>\n
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NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n A young girl who survived a shark attack in Florida<\/a> returned to the beach as part of the healing process.<\/p>\n The shark attack took place on June 12, 2025, off Boca Grande, which is on the state’s southwest coast near Fort Myers.<\/p>\n Leah Lendel was 9 when she was bitten during a snorkeling trip with her family. The bite nearly severed her hand off<\/a>.<\/p>\n “It’s kind of like healing for me to come over here, because seeing this happen to me and sometimes I even forget I got a shark bite,” Leah told WZVN-TV.<\/a><\/p>\n Leah Lendel, who survived a shark attack at Boca Grande nearly a year ago, returned to the site as part of her healing process.<\/span> (GoFundMe)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The attack occurred 10 months ago, and Leah still vividly remembers the moment.<\/p>\n GOT A TIP?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n “You see, like, the black stuff in the water<\/a>? That’s where he was,” Leah said, according to WZVN.<\/p>\n Police body camera captured witnesses rushing to help save her life. The girl was airlifted to undergo emergency surgery.<\/p>\n FOLLOW US ON X<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Leah Lendel was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital following the shark attack, where she underwent surgery that lasted hours while doctors worked to save her hand.<\/span> (WTVT-TV)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Surgeons were able to successfully reattach her hand following the attack. Leah, now 10, is still working to regain her strength day-by-day.<\/p>\n “I can’t really play piano now, and I can’t pick up more than 8 pounds, but me and my therapist are working for me to get my wrist strength back,” Leah told WZVN.<\/p>\n GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Doctors at Tampa General Hospital worked to save the 9-year-old’s hand.<\/span> (WTVT-TV)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The girl’s parents expressed how proud they are of their daughter’s resilience throughout a painful experience.<\/p>\n “We thought, you know, it\u2019s going to be 100% amputation. And so that we were just praying. Of course, we, you know, we were hoping. But when you see something this bad, you just understand reality hits. You\u2019re like, this is what it is,” Nadia Lendel told WZVN.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE US NEWS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n First responders give medical attention to 9-year-old Leah Lendel after she was bitten by a shark.<\/span> (Lee County Sheriff’s Office)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Despite the traumatic experience, Leah dreams of getting a snorkeling license, and her mom remains nervous but supportive.<\/p>\n “She\u2019s not afraid<\/a>. She\u2019s fearless,” Nadia said.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Leah encouraged others to not let fear stop them<\/a> from fulfilling their dreams.<\/p>\n “It\u2019s really rare the sharks even attack a person and I would recommend not swimming in murky water,” Leah said.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>\n