A 9-year-old girl, Leah Lendel, suffered a severe shark bite while snorkeling at a Boca Grande beach, nearly severing her hand. Doctors at Tampa General Hospital successfully reattached Leah's hand after a 4 ½ hour surgery. Quick action by first responders and the shark's clean bite aided in the successful reattachment.

A 9-year-old girl whose right hand was nearly bitten off her arm by a shark near Boca Grande may fully recover thanks to fast action, doctors said.

About a week after a shark bit through 9-year-old Leah Lendel’s wrist while she was snorkeling off Boca Grande, her parents sat beside her at a news conference at Tampa General Hospital. Lendel was wheeled into the room, her injured hand resting inside a cheese-shaped foam cushion to keep it elevated and reduce swelling.