Sydney shark attack survivor describes moment she came to face-to-face with ‘monster’
In her first media interview since the June incident, Leah Stewart, 34, says her thoughts while being bitten were of her one-year-old daughter An Australian woman left without an arm after a shark attack at a beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs has recalled the moment she came face-to-face with the “monster”. Leah Stewart, a 34-year-old teacher and mother of a one-year-old daughter, was attacked by…
In her first media interview since a shark attack on June 13, Leah Stewart, a 34-year-old teacher and mother of a one-year-old daughter, recounted the harrowing moment she encountered the "monster" in the waters off Coogee beach. The shark clung to her leg, and in that instant, Stewart's sole focus was on her daughter, August. "I thought, ‘She’s not going to have a mum.
She’s going to grow up without a mum,’” Stewart told Nine Entertainment, her voice choked with emotion. The shark's face "was horrific," Stewart said through tears, and she vowed it would be forever etched in her memory. In an update to a GoFundMe fundraiser for her medical expenses, Stewart expressed her gratitude for the outpouring of love and support from around the world.
"I’m so happy that I’ve progressed enough to build some independence, and I can finally see some light after all of this," she wrote. Despite the challenges, her recovery has been remarkable, thanks to the immense support from family and friends. The GoFundMe page has raised over $558,925, and donations have now been turned off.
Stewart ended her note with a renewed sense of purpose, stating, "I’m not going to waste this second chance at life. As I get better, I’ll make something of it and aim to give back even more."
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian Australia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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