Leah Stewart, who survived a great white shark encounter on June 13, is continuing her recovery and faces an upcoming skin graft procedure to address a wound on her leg. The 35-year-old teacher, who lost her left arm below the elbow in the attack at Coogee Beach, Sydney, revealed the ongoing medical challenges in a social media update.
Stewart is using a medical device, which she described as a 'medical handbag,' to aid in the healing of the leg wound. This device, connected to her leg, is designed to pull the wound together and drain excess fluid. "My leg is still an open wound at the moment," Stewart stated, expressing gratitude for the device despite its inconveniences, such as needing regular charging and alerting her to any air exposure to the wound.
This latest update comes after Stewart's account of the shark attack was questioned by radio hosts Kate Langbroek, Brendan Fevola, and Nick Cody of Melbourne's 101.9 The Fox. During a broadcast, the hosts suggested Stewart may have embellished her story, with Fevola remarking, "She's lying. Too much time to think." They replayed a portion of Stewart's interview with "60 Minutes," where she recounted deciding which arm to use to strike the shark and seeing its eyes.
Stewart had previously shared details of the attack, including thoughts of her daughter flashing through her mind and the moment she decided to fight back. In her "60 Minutes" interview, she described how time seemed to slow down as the shark approached. She also appeared on the UK's "Good Morning Britain" program to discuss her experience.
Following the radio hosts' comments, Stewart addressed the criticism in a social media post, describing her state of mind and the ongoing process of processing the traumatic event. She noted that she still felt a sense of disconnection from the attack, likening it to a dream, which she believes is her mind's way of protecting her. Stewart acknowledged that moving past her current state of mind is daunting.
Australian social media users largely defended Stewart against the radio hosts, with many criticizing the DJs for their comments and calling them insensitive to a survivor's trauma. The Daily Mail has contacted the radio program for comment regarding the public backlash.