Teen speaks out after bear attack in Florida

EASTPOINT, Fla. (WPVI) -- A teenage girl who survived a bear attack in Central Florida is telling her story.

Fifteen-year-old Leah Reeder says she was walking her dog near her home in Eastpoint, Florida when a bear tried to maul her earlier this week.

"It was just kind of like a black blur," she said.

Leah says she was paying more attention to her cell phone than to the black bear closing in on her.

"I was down on the ground and it was on my back biting me," she recalled.

But it was what she did next that may have saved her life.

"In school they always taught you to play dead and it worked because it stopped biting me as soon as I stopped screaming. I realized nobody was going to come because nobody could hear me," she said.

Maybe humans didn't heed the call, but as she was being dragged into the woods, her cuddly companion did.

"He's seen me dragging me and he was freaking out barking and then he started running off and the bear lost his grip and fell in the

ditch," said Leah.

Her 25 pound Springer Spaniel, Ralph, managed to scare away the 200 pound bear.

"I'm very thankful the dog was there," said Leah's mother, Sherry Mann.

Somehow, Leah managed to walk to her father's house and her parents dialed 911.

This close encounter is just the latest in a spate of bear attacks in Central Florida and 6 fatalities nationwide.

Hundreds of stitches later, Leah is still recovering from wounds to the neck, head, back and arms, but at Christmas dinner last night one family knows it has much to be grateful for.

"I'm mainly just glad my daughter is home alive and well," said Leah's father, Kenny Reeder.

Wildlife officials say they killed a bear overnight they suspect may have attacked Leah.

They say if you do encounter a bear, never run, never turn your back and just back away slowly.

And if you are attacked, fight a black bear with everything you have.