Girl, 9, recalls moment she ‘picked up hand' & ‘started screaming' in horror shark attack as dad says ‘miracle' happened
Emma Crabtree, Weekend US Editor
Published: Invalid Date,
THE nine-year-old girl has recalled the moment her hand was almost torn off in a savage shark attack while snorkeling with her mom.
Leah Lendel underwent a six-hour surgery to repair her hand that was left "hanging by skin" after she was mauled by an eight-foot shark off Boca Grande beach in Florida on June 11.
9
9
9
9
"Something hard bit me and then tried to tug me away," she said at a news conference at Tampa General Hospital.
While flanked by her parents and doctors, Leah recalled how she and her mom started screaming when they realized what happened.
"I didn't see anything. I was just snorkeling," she said.
"I went up to breathe. And then, something hard bit me and tried to take me away.
"Then I pick up my hand and is all in blood. I start screaming with my mom".
Nadia, Leah's mom, told reporters how she thought her daughter had lost a limb, saying "It was really, really bad" and that she didn't think her daughter "was going to have a hand."
"It's some sort of miracle that now she has a hand," she added.
"There was so much blood in the water right next to me, in an instant I knew it's a shark attack," Nadia said, adding that her daughter's "instincts kicked in".
Leah ran out of the water where she was picked up by her dad and taken to the road where people rushed to help.
"We [saw] that little girl come out from the water with no hand, it was... like everybody was in shock," eyewitness Alfonso Tello who was on a lunch break at the beach told NBC-affiliate WBBH.
Shark attack reported at popular US beach as victim rushed to hospital just weeks after 1,600lb beast spotted in state
One horrified beach goer who ran to Leah told CBS-affiliate WINK that her hand "was hanging but this piece...they whole thing was completely hanging out. You can see bones all completely red".
A frantic 911 call revealed how those nearby wrapped towels around Leah's hand that was "completely destroyed" and put her arm in a tourniquet to stem the bleeding.
Within four minutes, responders from the Boca Grande Fire Department were on scene and she was flown two hours to Tampa General.
MIRACLE WORKERS
Leah's doctors told reporters how there was a six-hour window for them to save her hand from the moment she was mauled by the shark.
Statement from Leah Lendel's family following the shark attack
Nine-year-old Leah experienced a terrifying and life-altering event. Her family has issued the following statement following the suspected bull shark attack in Boca Grande, Florida:
"We want to say Thank You to everyone that is praying for our sweet Leah.
"We are thankful for the quick response of everyone that was on scene, the construction workers, residents that ran out to help and the first responders and to all the Doctors/Nurses that are doing everything to help our girl.
"Yesterday Leah had an extensive surgery on her hand (wrist & fingers).
"The Doctors, were able to get blood flow to her hand and fingers.
"She is showing some movement in two fingers but can't feel the rest.
"The doctors will be doing another procedure tomorrow to see if there is anything else that needs to be done.
"The fact that Leah has all her fingers attached is already a testimony.
"From witnessing her wrist hanging on by just the skin, to have blood flow in all of her hand and fingers is truly a miracle.
"Please keep praying for our family, our God is a miracle worker."
Less than an hour after she arrived at the hospital, she was in surgery where they had to stabilize the bone and take blood vessels from her leg to help restore blood flow to her hand.
"I was trying to hold myself together, Leah's dad Jay said.
"I think I was crying more than she was."
An x-ray of her hand shows how the skin, muscles, and bones in her hand were severed almost all the way across the middle.
Doctors called the fact it was a shark bite a "curse and a blessing".
9
9
Their sharp teeth mean the cut was clean and not jagged, meaning there was "good tissue to work with and put back together in a timely fashion," Dr Alfred Hess said.
Leah will still need physical therapy and to have the pins in her hand removed but her parents say they are "just thankful for everybody".
"I didn't think it was possible because I was holding her hand in my hand and I didn't think there was any chance at all of saving it," he said.
"I'm so thankful to the surgeons for making such a miracle."
"I'm just very thankful she's alive," Jay added.
Leah said could not wait to start "playing with all my siblings" once her wounds healed.
Her family launched a GoFundMe page to help with her recovery which has received over $47,700 at the time of writing.
This week, another shark attack was reported at a popular US beach and a 12-year-old girl was mauled by a 12ft alligator while playing in shallow water with her friends.
9
9
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
43 minutes ago
- The Independent
ChatGPT use linked to cognitive decline, research reveals
Relying on the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT to help you write an essay could be linked to cognitive decline, a new study reveals. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab studied the impact of ChatGPT on the brain by asking three groups of people to write an essay. One group relied on ChatGPT, one group relied on search engines, and one group had no outside resources at all. The researchers then monitored their brains using electroencephalography, a method which measures electrical activity. The team discovered that those who relied on ChatGPT — also known as a large language model — had the 'weakest' brain connectivity and remembered the least about their essays, highlighting potential concerns about cognitive decline in frequent users. 'Over four months, [large language model] users consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels,' the study reads. 'These results raise concerns about the long-term educational implications of [large language model] reliance and underscore the need for deeper inquiry into AI's role in learning.' The study also found that those who didn't use outside resources to write the essays had the 'strongest, most distributed networks.' While ChatGPT is 'efficient and convenient,' those who use it to write essays aren't 'integrat[ing] any of it' into their memory networks, lead author Nataliya Kosmyna told Time Magazine. Kosmyna said she's especially concerned about the impacts of ChatGPT on children whose brains are still developing. 'What really motivated me to put it out now before waiting for a full peer review is that I am afraid in 6-8 months, there will be some policymaker who decides, 'let's do GPT kindergarten,'' Kosmyna said. 'I think that would be absolutely bad and detrimental. Developing brains are at the highest risk.' But others, including President Donald Trump and members of his administration, aren't so worried about the impacts of ChatGPT on developing brains. Trump signed an executive order in April promoting the integration of AI into American schools. 'To ensure the United States remains a global leader in this technological revolution, we must provide our Nation's youth with opportunities to cultivate the skills and understanding necessary to use and create the next generation of AI technology,' the order reads. 'By fostering AI competency, we will equip our students with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to adapt to and thrive in an increasingly digital society.' Kosmyna said her team is now working on another study comparing the brain activity of software engineers and programmers who use AI with those who don't. 'The results are even worse,' she told Time Magazine.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I nearly DIED after developing toxic shock syndrome... here are the symptoms I overlooked
At only 15, Shannon Turner suffered a near-deadly case of toxic shock syndrome, which was so severe she was given a 50 percent chance of survival - all from using a tampon. Now, she has laid bare the horrifying ordeal exclusively with the Daily Mail. 'It put me in a coma and nearly took my life - I hadn't even had my period for a full year yet,' Shannon, who was on a family vacation at the time, explained. Shannon revealed she began to feel ill in the evening after she landed, but she assumed it was just jet lag and tried to sleep it off. But she woke up the next day with extreme symptoms, including: vomiting, diarrhea, a fever, and fatigue. 'I was brought to the doctor that afternoon, given a shot for nausea, and sent home,' she continued. 'I continued to deteriorate and was brought back to the doctor later that same day.' 'My last memory is collapsing in the office and laying on the ground because it hurt too much to sit up,' she recalled. 'My heart rate was extremely high, my blood pressure was dangerously low, and I was rushed to the ICU. I didn't wake up until a few days later.' Toxic Shock Syndrome is a 'rare complication of certain types of bacterial infections,' according to MayoClinic. 'It can be fatal. 'Risk factors for toxic shock syndrome include skin wounds, surgery, and the use of tampons and other devices, such as menstrual cups and birth control sponges or diaphragms.' While Shannon was unconscious, doctors worked furiously to diagnose her - initially misdiagnosing her with meningitis and nearly performed an unnecessary spinal tap. 'Thankfully, my mom mentioned to a family member that I was on my period - and that's when menstrual toxic shock syndrome (mTSS) was suggested,' she shared. 'The doctors were informed and my treatment plan shifted. I was incredibly lucky the infectious disease doctor on call had studied toxic shock and knew exactly what to do, but because mTSS progresses so quickly, I was still given a 50/50 chance of survival.' She explained that after the doctors saved her life, she was sent home with 'little guidance' on what to expect during recovery, or how long her symptoms would last - and the aftermath was brutal. 'My hospital stay was only a few days, but the recovery afterward took much longer,' Shannon said. 'I dealt with memory loss, anxiety, attention issues, and depression. My periods also became extremely painful. 'From the age of 15, I was put on prescription painkillers to manage my menstrual pain.' Her experience led to her starting her nonprofit, Protect Her Inc., which is dedicated to 'revolutionizing menstrual health education.' 'We believe knowledge is power - and yet, so many people are navigating their cycles with almost none,' she pointed out. 'I began to see why [there were no recourses], because periods have been taboo for far too long. It's the same reason I never talked about my experience with mTSS, and that silence was incredibly isolating.' Now, over 15 years later, Shannon regularly shares tips on how to avoid the life-threatening situation happening to other people - as well as the symptoms she ignored. 'My message to anyone using tampons is: use the lowest absorbency possible. Your tampon should be saturated when you remove it - if your flow is light, opt for a liner instead,' she listed. She also advises against using tampons overnight, noting if you begin to get sick you won't notice the symptoms if you're asleep. 'We need to stay aware of what our bodies are telling us - especially when there's a foreign object inside us,' she pointed out. Shannon added it's important to learn about the brands of sanitary products you're using, and make sure you're comfortable with their ingredients and manufacturing standards. 'Most importantly, be in tune with your body. It's always communicating with us, if we take the time to listen,' she urged. Shannon also advises people to immediately take a tampon out if they start feeling sick - describing the symptoms as flu-like. 'So [if you experience] headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever - take the tampon out,' she insisted. 'If you feel even worse go seek medical attention.' Shannon now hopes to educate young women through her non-profit, Protect Her Inc, which provides comprehensive menstrual education to adolescents aged seven to 18, with 'a focus on practical knowledge that fosters confidence, health literacy, and open dialogue.' According to National Library of Medicine, studies have shown the risk of mTSS was higher in young women who used tampons, than in women who used menstrual pads. They noted everyone should be aware of the symptoms of mTSS, which are early flu-like symptoms near or during menstruation, including acute onset of fever, vomiting and diarrhea, and progressive dizziness upon standing, and said people should should seek immediate medical attention if experiencing these symptoms.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Urgent recall issued for chocolate sold nationwide with ingredient that could kill
The FDA is warning Americans of a popular chocolate treat that could cause a 'life-threatening allergic reaction.' Lipari Foods of Warren, Michigan, is recalling 14oz packages of its JLM Branded Dark Chocolate Nonpareils because they may contain undeclared milk. People who have a milk allergy may be at risk of a severe reaction if they eat the product. The recall was initiated after Lipari Foods was notified by Weaver Nut Company that their product may contain milk but was distributed in packaging that did not reveal its possible presence. The candies were distributed nationwide in retail stores. They come in a 14oz clear plastic containers marked with the lot numbers 28202501A, 29202501A, 23202504A, 14202505A, 15202505A, and 03202506A on the bottom label. Customers who bought the product are urged to discard it or return it to the place of purchase. No illnesses or adverse events have been reported in connection to the recall, according to the FDA. Milk can could cause severe reactions in the 30 to 50million Americans with lactose intolerance and the 7million with dairy allergies. People who are lactose intolerant cannot properly digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and other dairy products. This occurs because their bodies don't produce enough of the enzyme lactase, which is needed to break down lactose. Undigested lactose then travels to the gut and gets fermented by bacteria, leading to digestive distress. Symptoms usually start within 30 minutes to two hours of consuming a dairy product and include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, bloating and gas. Additionally, roughly two percent of Americans - 6.6million - are allergic to milk. Symptoms of an allergy include hives, wheezing, coughing, congestion, face and throat swelling and in severe cases, anaphylaxis. This is a life-threatening allergic reaction that occurs very quickly after being exposed to an allergen. It triggers an extreme immune response, leading to dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath and vomiting. If not treated quickly with epinephrine (adrenaline), which can be administered via injection like an EpiPen or nasal spray, a person can die.
