Overview
- Leah Lendel returned to the Boca Grande beach where she was bitten, saying revisiting the spot helps her heal.
- She was 9 when a shark nearly tore off her arm while snorkeling there, and first responders plus nearby construction workers kept her alive.
- Surgeons reattached her hand after the attack, and she continues therapy to rebuild wrist strength.
- She says she cannot yet play piano and cannot lift more than eight pounds as she works with a therapist.
- Leah and her mother urge awareness rather than fear in the water, noting attacks are rare and advising swimmers to avoid murky water, and she still hopes to earn a snorkeling license.