SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — On a Friday night under the lights at Shaker Heights High School, 17-year-old Amani Smith-McDaniel stood up with her dance team and finished her performance on one leg.

Her mother, Nicole McDaniel, watched from the stands — tears streaming down her face.

"I looked over and I saw my mom start crying," Amani recalled. "I was like, yeah, I did it."

For most people, standing up might not seem remarkable. But for Amani, who lost her left leg just months ago in a life-threatening medical emergency, this moment represented something far greater than a dance performance.

A fight for survival

It all started in June at cheerleading camp. What seemed like routine stomach pain quickly spiraled into a medical crisis that would change Amani's life forever.

A ruptured ovari

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