Latest news with #LeahLendel
Fox News
5 hours ago
- Health
- Fox News
Two shark attacks reported in separate vacation hotspots as summer beach season starts
A South Carolina beachgoer is lucky to be alive after walking away with serious injuries from a suspected shark attack earlier this week. The incident reportedly occurred off the coast of the south end of Hilton Head Island on Tuesday, a Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue official confirmed to Fox News Digital. "The incident involved a patient with a leg injury consistent with lacerations typically associated with a shark bite," the department said in a statement. Local rescue crews were dispatched to beach marker 24 in Sea Pines Beach at approximately 12:07 p.m. regarding reports of a medical emergency. Firefighters and lifeguards subsequently treated the victim at the scene before transporting her to Hilton Head Island Airport, where she was then airlifted to a local facility in Savannah for further medical treatment. Local officials declined Fox News Digital's request for information regarding the victim's identity and condition, citing privacy regulations. The attack comes just days after a 9-year-old girl was bitten by a shark on Florida's Gulf Coast, according to Fox 13. Leah Lendel was enjoying a snorkeling trip with her family in Boca Grande on June 11 when a shark bit her hand, the outlet reported. The injuries left her hand "hanging by a little piece of skin," a witness reportedly said. Lendel was pulled from the water by a nearby construction crew and airlifted to Tampa General Hospital, where she underwent surgery involving artery grafts, bone reconstruction and nerve repair. "I didn't see anything," Lendel said at a news conference Thursday. "I was just snorkeling and I went up to breathe, then something hard bit me and it tried to take me away. Then I pick up my hand and it's all in blood. Then, I started screaming with my mom. And then, my dad was with me. He picked me up, then we ran to the road. Doctors were able to save Lendel's hand, a feat they partially credit to how "clean" the bite was. "The shark's teeth are so sharp that the cut through the wrist is clean and not jagged, and it doesn't ruin all the tissue," Dr. Alfred Hess said. Lendel anticipates she will return to the water once she has made a full recovery. "She's done a fantastic job, I can already tell you," Dr. Joshua Linnell said. "I just keep looking over at those fingers because we worked hard on that." Lendel's family did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Scottish Sun
10 hours ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Girl, 9, recalls moment she ‘picked up hand' & ‘started screaming' in horror shark attack as dad says ‘miracle' happened
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) 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. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Leah Lendel spoke out about the horror shark attack on June 11 Credit: ABC NEWS 9 She had been snorkeling off a Boca Grande beach with her mom Credit: ABC News 9 A 9-year-old girl in Florida is recovering from surgery after a shark nearly bit her hand off while she was snorkeling off a Boca Grande beach last week. Credit: ABC News 9 Leah's mom said her daughter's 'instincts kicked in' and she ran out of the bloody water Credit: ABC NEWS "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 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 A 9-year-old girl in Florida is recovering from surgery after a shark nearly bit her hand off while she was snorkeling off a Boca Grande beach last week., Leah Lendel's hand following the shark attack Credit: Tampa General Hospital 9 Emergency services attended the 911 call before Leah was flown to Tampa General Credit: Lee County Sheriff's Office 9 Leah underwent an initial six-hour surgery in which blood vessels from her leg were put into her hand to help restore blood flow Credit: Instagram/ 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 The nine-year-old emerged from the water with what looked like a bloody stump Credit: GoFundMe
The Sun
10 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
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 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
Daily Mirror
17 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Girl, 9, speaks out after shark attack left her hand 'almost completely gone'
Leah Lendel, 9, emerged from the water with her hand hanging 'by a thread' after she was attacked during a family snorkelling adventure off the coast of Florida A bave nine-year-old girl has recalled the horrific moments her wrist was bitten off during a terrifying shark attack in Florida. Little Leah Lendel had been snorkelling off the sore of Boca Grande, about 100 miles south of Tampa, with her influencer mum Nadia and her siblings on June 11. But what was supposed to be a fun family day out turned into very parent's worst nightmare when a shark brutally attacked Leah. Bystanders said an 8ft bull shark bit off Leah's hand down to the wrist. When Leah emerged from the water, she was covered in blood. Thankfully, nearby construction workers were close by and assisted by making a tourniquet out of a beach towel as the family called 911 for help. Leah's father, Jay Lendel, said on Thursday that emergency responses arrived in about three minutes. Tello and his co-workers had been on a lunch break when they heard Leah's screams. They rushed into the water, though at first they did not know she had just been attacked by a shark. Construction worker Alfonso Tello told local outlets: "When we see that little girl come out from the water with no hand, it was like something out - it gets me. Everybody was in shock. Leah was airlifted to Tampa along with her dad and underwent emergency surgery in a bid to reattach her hand. Now, Leah has spoken out for the first time about the terrifying attack. Speaking to Fox Orlando she said: ""I was just snorkeling, and then I went up to breathe, and then something hard bit me, and then it tried to tug me away." She continued, "Then I picked up my hand, and it's all in blood. Then I started screaming with my mum and then my dad was with me, he picked me up and then we ran to the road." At the press conference Leah's dad explained: "I was trying to hold myself together, I think I was crying more than she was," he added: "I'm just very greatful she's alive" Nadia added: "Leah was about three to four foot away from me, she had gone under and as she was coming up I heard this yell or scream and I saw the fling of the arm and it was almost completely gone. "There was so much blood in the water right next to me and in that instant I knew it's a shark attack, I mean I didn't expect it but I've seen documentaries before we've seen encounters, I knew you know." According to the International Shark Attack File, bull sharks are historically responsible for at least 100 unprovoked attacks on humans around the world. Of those, 27 are understood to have been fatal. The Florida Museum said: "It's large size, proclivity for freshwater, abundance and proximity to human populations, particularly in the tropics, makes it more of a potential threat than is either the White shark or the Tiger shark." Florida has regularly topped global charts for the number of shark bites. In 2024, 14 cases, none of which were fatal, were recorded in the state.
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
9-year-old shark attack survivor speaks out
Leah Lendel describes what she remembers from the terrifying moment when she was snorkeling in Boca Grande, Florida and felt something bite her earlier this month. Her family says they thought Leah would lose her hand. She was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital for care. Today a shark was spotted at a Fort Lauderdale Beach near swimmers. NBC News' Morgan Chesky reports.
