Off-duty lifeguard Charlie Verco, 25, has described the intense moments leading up to and during a great white shark attack that left swimmer Leah Stewart, 34, critically injured at Coogee Beach on June 13. Stewart, who was swimming about 30 meters from shore, spent over a week on life support and underwent multiple surgeries, including an arm amputation, before regaining consciousness.
Verco was paddleboarding approximately 100 meters away when he heard screams. Initially, he thought his paddleboard might deter the shark, but this perception changed when he witnessed its size. "I saw the dorsal fin, saw the back, saw the tail, and I saw the size of it… this thing's a pretty solid animal," Verco recounted on the Straight Talk podcast with Mark Bouris. He realized the shark was unlikely to be intimidated by him.
He described the shark's movements as inquisitive and slow, initially leading him to believe it might identify the swimmers as not being seals or food and depart. However, the situation escalated violently, with Stewart clearly being bitten as the water turned bloody. "And that was when the water started to get a bit dirty with blood. There was lots of screaming," Verco said.
When Stewart was pulled underwater and disappeared from view, Verco felt helpless. She then resurfaced after the shark released her. Verco paddled closer and was able to help her onto his board as he made his way back to shore. During the paddle back, he spoke to Stewart, who was lucid enough to respond, to help keep her calm.
On the beach, lifeguards administered CPR and applied tourniquets. Stewart received multiple blood transfusions on-site before being airlifted to St. Vincent's Hospital. A GoFundMe campaign has been established to support Stewart's recovery and ongoing expenses.