On the sunny afternoon of June 11, 2025, a peaceful day at Boca Grande, Florida, took a terrifying turn when 9-year-old Leah Lendel was attacked by a shark while snorkeling near the 2200 block of Shore Lane. Leah, enjoying the water with her family, suddenly surfaced screaming, her right hand gruesomely injured and nearly severed.
The incident unfolded around noon, with Leah’s mother, Nadia, only about four feet away holding her two younger siblings in floaties. Nadia immediately noticed the severity of the injury: Leah’s hand was covered in blood and mostly torn off up to the wrist. Despite the shock and pain, Leah managed to walk to shore on her own, likely in a state of shock, as her family later recounted.
Nearby, construction workers Alfonso Tello and his colleagues, who were on a lunch break, heard the screams and rushed to assist. At first, Tello thought the children might be playing until he saw Leah’s condition. "When we see that little girl come in, out from the water, with no hand ... gets me," he told NBC affiliate WBBH, his voice trailing off as he recalled the traumatic scene. Another bystander, Raynel Lugo, described pulling Leah from the water amid the chaos and seeing a large shark, believed to be a bull shark approximately eight feet long, lurking nearby.
The group quickly improvised a tourniquet using towels and shirts to stem the bleeding while paramedics were en route. As Leah’s mother hurriedly took her toddlers to shore, her father swam as fast as possible from a distance to be by Leah’s side. Emergency Medical Services arrived promptly, and Leah was airlifted to a trauma center in Tampa, accompanied by her father.
Leah’s injuries were severe. Her right hand was described by witnesses as "just hanging by this piece," with bones visible and tissue damage extensive. At the hospital, Leah underwent a six-hour emergency surgery where surgeons performed a complex reattachment. Surgeons harvested arteries from her leg to restore blood flow to the hand and installed pins to stabilize broken bones. Though the hand still had open tissues requiring close monitoring, Leah’s mother expressed cautious optimism: "Thank God she can move her fingers," she told WBBH.
Leah’s uncle, Max Derinskiy, who launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist with medical expenses, shared that Leah will face "a lot of physical therapy to hopefully get her hand functioning again." The family requested privacy during this difficult time but expressed gratitude for the swift response and medical care that saved Leah’s hand.
Shark attacks in Florida are not unheard of, but they remain relatively rare. According to Boca Grande Fire Chief C.W. Blosser III, who has served in the role for 16 years, only two prior shark attacks have been reported in the area, both occurring during tarpon season. The last such incident was in 2019 when a man required surgery after a shark bite in Boca Grande Pass. Blosser noted, "When you get a call like that, you always hope for the best and prepare for the worst, so to speak." Experts highlight that Florida accounts for about 50% of shark bites in the United States and 30% worldwide, though attacks decreased by about 33% in 2024 compared to 2023.
In 2024, there were 51 unprovoked shark attacks in U.S. waters, representing 60% of worldwide attacks, with half of those occurring in Florida. The presence of bull sharks, known for their aggressive behavior and preference for shallow waters, is a factor in such incidents. Witnesses at the scene of Leah’s attack identified the shark as a bull shark, reinforcing concerns about their proximity to popular swimming areas.
Local naturalists emphasize that while sharks are often present in local waters, especially during mating seasons, attacks remain rare. However, the recent event serves as a stark reminder for beachgoers to remain vigilant. Swimmers at Boca Grande voiced their concern, with Pamela Krout stating, "You have to be careful, keep an eye out. How sad, that is very sad and I feel so bad for her."
Authorities continue to monitor the area closely and advise caution for anyone entering the water. The community’s response—quick action from bystanders, emergency personnel, and medical teams—played a crucial role in Leah’s survival and ongoing recovery.
Leah’s story is one of resilience amid tragedy, highlighting both the dangers that can lurk beneath the water’s surface and the power of human compassion and swift intervention. As she begins the long road of healing and rehabilitation, her family and community rally around her, hopeful for the day she regains full function of her hand.
