Sydney mother Leah Stewart has spoken publicly for the first time since surviving a devastating shark attack at Coogee Beach, sharing an uplifting update on her recovery and thanking the extraordinary community that rallied around her.
More than two months after an ordinary morning swim changed her life in an instant, Leah Stewart has shared a deeply personal message about her remarkable recovery – and her determination to make the most of the “second chance” she has been given.
The Sydney teacher and mother was critically injured when she was attacked by a white shark while swimming at Coogee Beach on June 13.
Stewart suffered severe injuries to her arms and legs, multiple fractures and significant blood loss, and was rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital in a critical condition. She spent days in an induced coma and underwent numerous operations, including the amputation of one of her arms.
Now, for the first time since the attack, Stewart has spoken in her own words about just how far she has come.
“After what has been an incredibly difficult few months, I’m so happy that I’ve progressed enough to build some independence, and I can finally see some light after all of this,” she wrote in an update on the fundraising page established to support her recovery.
While acknowledging there is still a long road ahead, Stewart said her progress so far had exceeded expectations.
“I still have a long way to go, but my recovery has been remarkable,” she said.
“I want you to know that I feel like I’ve been given a second chance at life, and I’m not going to waste it.”
It is a strikingly positive message after an ordeal that left Stewart fighting for her life.
When she was briefly brought out of her induced coma 11 days after the attack, her first words to her husband and mother were simply: “I love you.”
Her thoughts then immediately turned to her young daughter, August, asking whether she was OK. The pair were later reunited after spending their first nights apart since August was born.
Stewart has also revealed the enormous impact of the support that has poured in from friends, neighbours and complete strangers.
More than $550,000 has been raised on GoFundMe to help the family through her rehabilitation, medical treatment and the considerable changes to their lives.
In fact, Stewart has now asked for donations to be switched off, saying the generosity already shown had given her family enough financial security to concentrate on her recovery, remain in their home and consider further medical treatment in the future.
Her message to those who helped her was one of immense gratitude.
The support, she said, had come not only from her local community but from people around the world – and had played a part in keeping her moving forward through the toughest months of her life.
“You’ve inspired me to get better, not bitter,” she said.
For Stewart, recovery is far from finished. But after weeks in intensive care, repeated surgeries and the enormous physical and emotional challenge of rebuilding her life, being able to regain some independence has given her something precious to focus on.
And after everything she has endured, her first message to the public is perhaps most remarkable for what it contains very little of: anger.
Instead, it is filled with gratitude, hope and a determination to embrace the life ahead.
Images: GoFundMe
