‘It was like fighting a dinosaur’: Sydney shark attack survivor recalls left hook that helped save her life
Leah Stewart, who was bitten while swimming at Coogee beach, says she asked herself ‘which limb am I willing to lose’ as she fought back An Australian woman who lost an arm after a shark attack at a Sydney beach has described delivering a “left hook” punch to the four-metre great white as its open mouth came within centimetres of her face. Leah Stewart, 34, a teacher and mother of a one-year-old,…
Leah Stewart, a 34-year-old Australian teacher and mother, was attacked by a great white shark while swimming at Coogee beach on June 13. The shark bit her arm and thigh, requiring surgeons to amputate her left arm. In a recent interview with Nine’s 60 Minutes, Stewart described the harrowing experience. She recounted feeling as though she had "never screamed that loud and that crazy" as she pleaded for help from lifeguards and a passing jetski, despite the shark remaining mere 30cm from her face.
The moment of decision came when the shark opened its mouth, prompting Stewart to ask herself, "Which limb am I willing to lose?" She then delivered a left hook, describing the intense fight as "like fighting a dinosaur." Stewart managed to endure the ordeal, thinking of her one-year-old daughter, August, who would otherwise grow up without a mother.
After weeks in intensive care, Stewart has emerged with newfound strength, stating that she has "come out of the other side with a knowledge and a power that I didn't have before."
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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