Home / Disasters and Accidents / Shark attack survivor finds strength in global messages
Shark attack survivor finds strength in global messages
5 Jul
Summary
- Australian mother recovering after a brutal shark attack.
- She lost an arm and has had difficulty sleeping.
- Messages from around the world provide comfort and strength.
Leah Stewart, an Australian mother and teacher, is on a long road to recovery after a devastating shark attack at Coogee Beach on June 13. The incident, which occurred close to shore, left her with life-threatening injuries, including multiple bites, lacerations, fractures, and severe blood loss, necessitating the amputation of one arm. Stewart was placed in a medically induced coma for 10 days and has undergone multiple surgeries, with more scheduled as doctors work to stabilize her condition.
During sleepless nights, Stewart has been drawing immense strength and comfort from an outpouring of supportive messages from her family, friends, and people across the globe. Her brother, Joshua Stewart, shared in a GoFundMe update that these messages have provided her with "real comfort and strength." Stewart, a mother to a 1-year-old daughter, woke from her coma and her initial thoughts were of her child and her partner.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established to assist Stewart, her partner, and their young daughter with recovery costs, prosthetics, rehabilitation, ongoing care, and future adjustments. The family expressed profound gratitude to the lifesavers, first responders, helicopter crew, and the medical team at St. Vincent's Hospital for their life-saving efforts.
