After surviving a frightening shark encounter in Florida, the young girl made a courageous return to the beach, an essential step in her recovery journey.

The incident occurred on June 12, 2025, off the coast of Boca Grande, located near Fort Myers on Florida’s southwest coast.

During a family snorkeling trip, 9-year-old Leah Lendel suffered a severe shark bite that almost severed her hand.

“Coming back here is part of my healing because it helps me cope with what happened,” Leah shared with WZVN-TV. “Sometimes I even forget about the shark bite.”

Leah Lendel revisited Boca Grande, the site of the attack nearly a year later, as a significant step in her healing process. (GoFundMe)

The attack occurred 10 months ago, and Leah still vividly remembers the moment.

“You see, like, the black stuff in the water? That’s where he was,” Leah said, according to WZVN.

Police body camera captured witnesses rushing to help save her life. The girl was airlifted to undergo emergency surgery.

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. (WTVT-TV)

Surgeons were able to successfully reattach her hand following the attack. Leah, now 10, is still working to regain her strength day-by-day.

“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.

Doctors at Tampa General Hospital worked to save the 9-year-old’s hand. (WTVT-TV)

The girl’s parents expressed how proud they are of their daughter’s resilience throughout a painful experience.

“We thought, you know, it’s 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’re like, this is what it is,” Nadia Lendel told WZVN.

First responders give medical attention to 9-year-old Leah Lendel after she was bitten by a shark. (Lee County Sheriff’s Office)

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

“She’s not afraid. She’s fearless,” Nadia said.

Leah encouraged others to not let fear stop them from fulfilling their dreams.

“It’s really rare the sharks even attack a person and I would recommend not swimming in murky water,” Leah said.

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