A 13-year-old girl has been left wheelchair-bound after choking on a piece of meat.

Sthefany Vitoria Ribeiro was hospitalised for three months after she choked on the piece of meat when she was having lunch with her family at their home in the Brazilian city of Senador Canedo on 22nd April.

But she has now been released from hospital in the wheelchair and she and her family are vowing to continue her rehabilitation to restore her to full health.

Her dad, Geraldo Pedro Ribeiro, told news site G1: “She was having lunch and chatting when the piece of meat entered her airways. Her mum started screaming, and I left the room scared.

“She had a cardiac arrest and was in a very serious condition. She also had a lack of oxygen to the brain, which caused the after-effects.”

Sthefany was taken to the local public hospital, from which she was transferred to another hospital in the state capital of Goiania.

She was admitted to the intensive care ward, where she was intubated. Her family then had to move to Goiania so they could be by her side.

After leaving the hospital, Sthefany was transferred to a rehabilitation centre, from which she was discharged on Thursday, 5th August.

Geraldo told G1: “There were after-effects such as the loss of part of her hands’ and legs’ motor functions.

“Her vision was also impaired. She can’t fully see. But she will continue her treatment and will soon be 100 percent.”

Sthefany’s happiness at her ongoing recovery was captured in a clip of her in her hospital bed singing along to the song ‘Cem Mil’ (‘100 Thousand’) by popular Brazilian singer Gusttavo Lima.

She will be regularly checking back in with the rehabilitation centre as part of her recovery process.

Her dad said: “She is very strong. It’s a miracle. We want this story to reach people who are going through difficult times. I’m sure she will reach the end of this battle and become even more victorious.”