A 34-year-old schoolteacher has described the moment she found herself face to face with a great white shark, and the split-second decision to throw a left hook that she believes may have saved her life. Leah Stewart survived the attack at one of Sydney’s best-known beaches, and her story has since moved thousands of strangers to act.
The attack at Coogee
The attack happened on June 13 while Leah was swimming between the flags at Coogee Beach in New South Wales, Australia. She says the shark came so close that its open mouth was about 30cm (12 inches) from her face. In that instant she feared it would bite her head off.
She has said she weighed up her options very quickly. "I thought, ‘Well, which limb am I willing to lose?’ I’m right-handed. So I decided, let’s do a left hook." She aimed to push the animal away before it could reach her face.
Leah says the sight of the animal is something she will never forget. "It was a monster. It was holding onto my leg," she recalled. What kept her fighting, she says, was her young daughter, August. "I thought, ‘she’s not going to have a mum’."
A long road back
A beachgoer called the emergency number during the attack. In the recording, the caller tells the operator there is a shark attack at Coogee Beach and a lot of blood. Championship paddleboarder Charlie Verco pulled Leah out of the ocean before paramedics and medical staff reached the sand to treat her.
Her injuries were severe. She went through multiple surgeries and spent two weeks in a coma while doctors fought to keep her alive. During one operation she had an arm amputated, and serious tendon and nerve damage meant she was at first unable to use the other arm.
An outpouring of support
While Leah recovered, her relatives set up a GoFundMe campaign. By August 28 it had raised more than $558,000 AUD, about £295,000. Leah later posted a message of thanks, saying she was constantly overwhelmed by the kindness shown by people she knew and by complete strangers.
She also explained why the appeal was being closed. The money, she said, was enough to help the family recover, to stay in their home and to leave them with options for further medical treatment in the future. After what she called an incredibly difficult few months, she said she had made enough progress to build some independence and could finally "see some light".
Leah described her survival as a "second chance of life" and promised not to waste it. "As I get better, I know I’ll make something of this second chance and aim to give back even more in generosity, care, and love," she said. "You’ve inspired me to get better, not bitter."
How things stand now
The attack has also changed how the coast is watched. Authorities stepped up their shark-detection drone operations across New South Wales. Since July 1, aerial surveillance has been in place at 70 beaches, covering every Sydney shoreline from Palm Beach down to Cronulla.
Leah continues her recovery, still working on her independence, and says she will forever be grateful to everyone who helped her.
Image credit: TODAY/YOUTUBE
Source: The Mirror US
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