Shark Attack Survivor Returns to Beach Months After Gruesome Attack
Leah Stewart, who lost an arm in a shark encounter, revisited Coogee Beach with her daughter.
Shark attack survivor Leah Stewart has returned to Coogee Beach, the site of a harrowing encounter with a great white shark, marking a significant step in her recovery.
Stewart, 35, shared a video on social media documenting her first visit to the beach since the June attack, which left her in a coma for 10 days and resulted in the amputation of her left arm below the elbow. The clip shows Stewart walking toward the water with her young daughter, August, holding her hand. Natasha Bedingfield's song "Unwritten" played in the background.
Stewart stated that it took extensive effort to prepare for the return to the beach. "Not too long ago the thought of the beach would trigger a flashback but after lots of work it felt so good to feel the water again," she wrote in the caption. She added that upon approaching the shore, she focused on the sensation of the cold water on her toes and her daughter's hand. "I hadn't planned to touch the water or sand for the first time yesterday, I was standing on the grass and realised I didn't feel fear in my chest," she explained.
As her recovery progresses, Stewart has been gradually overcoming the trauma. "As I heal, I'm starting to live without the fear that absolutely controlled me and come back to what I love with a deeper appreciation of the little and big things," she said.
Stewart was swimming between the flags, approximately 30 meters from shore, when the shark attacked her thigh and left arm on June 13. In an interview with 60 Minutes, she recounted being dragged underwater and the fear of dying. She stated that the thought of her daughter, August, motivated her to fight back. "She's not going to have a mum. She's going to grow up without a mum," Stewart recalled thinking. She described punching the shark repeatedly, comparing the experience to fighting a dinosaur and hitting a brick wall. "I was like, 'You ugly f***er, you are not taking me away from my daughter,'" she said.
Social media users have offered messages of support, with many calling Stewart an inspiration. Comments included praise for her bravery and a statement from an international observer: "Please know that here in Brazil, you have friends who, even from afar, followed your struggle and now celebrate your victory."