Leah Stewart describes fighting a great white shark and surviving a life-altering beach attack
Leah Stewart, a 34-year-old teacher and mother, survived a severe shark attack at Coogee Beach in Sydney on June 13. While swimming, Stewart was attacked by a four-meter great white shark that bit into her thigh and left her with life-threatening injuries, eventually requiring the amputation of her left arm. During the attack, Stewart described the shark's face as horrific and noted that it came within 30cm of her face. She recalled making a split-second decision to deliver a left hook punch to the shark to push it away. She stated that the thought of her one-year-old daughter, August, motivated her to fight for survival. Following the attack, Stewart was placed in an induced coma and underwent numerous surgeries. A GoFundMe fundraiser established by her brother, Joshua Stewart, raised over $400,000 for her family. Stewart has now paused donations on the fundraiser, stating that the support has provided enough financial stability for her recovery and future medical care. She expressed a desire to be remembered as the woman who punched the shark rather than a girl who was mauled.
Sources
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'Like fighting a dinosaur': Sydney woman recalls how she punched shark during attack
BBC
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Mom Who Had Arm Amputated After ‘Horrific’ Shark Attack Shuts Down GoFundMe Following Outpouring of Donations
Yahoo News Singapore
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‘It was like fighting a dinosaur’: Sydney shark attack survivor recalls left hook that helped save her life
The Guardian
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'Which limb am I willing to lose': Sydney mum recalls shark attack
ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation