SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — After more than two months in the hospital fighting for her life , 17-year-old Amani Smith-McDaniel is back at Shaker Heights High School for her senior year. But navigating her new reality has come with challenges her family never expected to face.

What started as a stomachache at cheer camp this summer became a medical emergency that would change everything for the McDaniel family. Amani's condition required the amputation of her left leg, but her response to the life-altering challenge has inspired everyone around her.

Back to school, back to herself

"The moment I got out the hospital, I actually left to hang out with my friends," Amani said during a recent interview at her school.

The teenager is not only back in the classroom but has returned to what she l

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