Leah Stewart, a 34-year-old teacher, has shared her harrowing experience of a great white shark attack that occurred while she was swimming at Sydney's Coogee Beach on June 13. Two months after the incident, which left her in a coma for two weeks and necessitated multiple surgeries, including the amputation of one arm, Stewart recounted the ordeal in an interview set to air.
Stewart vividly recalled the moment the shark attacked, stating, "It was holding onto my leg." Her primary thought during the terrifying encounter was of her one-year-old daughter, August. "All I was thinking of was August and I thought, 'she's not going to have a mum'," Stewart said. "I couldn't handle that. I did not want her to grow up without a mum. I just thought, 'I've got to fight it and do everything I can to be here.'"
The interview will also feature the triple-0 call made by a beachgoer who witnessed the attack, reporting, "Hi, we've got a shark attack at Coogee beach. There's a lot of blood."
Stewart has also shared a message expressing gratitude for the public support, which has contributed to a fundraiser that has raised more than $558,000. "I want to say the biggest thank you for looking after me, for caring for my family, and for being generous enough to help my family through this," she wrote. "I am constantly overwhelmed at how supportive people I know, and even strangers, have been, and how much they've cared about my family to make such an impact on our lives."
The funds raised are intended to help Stewart and her family remain in their home and to assist with future medical treatments. Stewart has been actively working towards regaining independence and sees "some light after all of this." She described her recovery as remarkable, attributing a significant part of it to the overwhelming support she has received globally.
"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," Stewart wrote. "I still have a long way to go, but my recovery has been remarkable, and a huge part of that is because of the absolute army of love, support, prayers and encouragement surrounding my family and I from all over the world. That means more to me than I can say, and I truly believe it's played a huge role in my recovery."
Stewart has vowed to make the most of her second chance at life, stating her intention to "give back even more in generosity, care, and love." She believes the support she has received has inspired her to "get better, not bitter."