A social media video of Boca Grande Fire Chief about the event was also posted on social media, which presented the details of what went on and how the locals and bystanders assisted the Lendel family.
The video’s caption reads, “Here’s a message from the Boca Grande Fire Chief about the shark bite incident that happened on Boca Grande. Update: After nearly six hours in surgery, doctors were able to put her hand back together. Great news!”
People from a nearby construction site came running to help after Leah’s screams and dialled 911. They also applied a tourniquet that likely saved Leah’s life, and even her shark-bitten arm, according to reports. She was then airlifted to Tampa General Hospital, where there was a trauma team ready to attend to her, and save the arm.
“Tampa General, the only Level I adult and pediatric trauma center, was uniquely equipped to handle the complexity of saving Leah’s hand, said doctors at the news conference,” reads a USA Today report.
“Dr. Alfred Hess, an orthopedic surgeon, said Leah’s case had a great outcome,” the report continued.
“A shark injury is both a blessing and a curse in this case,” Dr. Hess was quoted as saying in the conference. “The teeth are so sharp that the cut through the wrist is clean and not jagged, so it doesn’t ruin all the tissue and we have clean tissue to work with.” Morevoer, the doctors also praised Leah’s resilience and calm throughout the ordeal, which was also beneficial for the entire surgery to happen successfully.
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