A mother swimming at a popular tourist destination was viciously attacked by a shark, resulting in the loss of her arm and leaving her in critical condition. Leah Stewart, aged 35, experienced severe blood loss after being bitten multiple times by a 12-foot great white shark at Coogee Beach in Sydney, Australia. She was attacked around 100 feet from the shore on a Saturday morning.
Leah’s brother, Joshua Stewart, shared that the teacher is currently on life support following several surgeries. A fundraising campaign has raised nearly $200,000 AUD to support Leah’s recovery from the severe injuries, which include multiple bites on her limbs, lacerations, fractures, and significant blood loss.
Witnesses described the harrowing scene of beachgoers hearing screams and finding Leah surrounded by a large pool of blood. Off-duty doctors quickly applied tourniquets before she was airlifted to St Vincent’s Hospital for emergency care.
Joshua Stewart praised Leah as a devoted mother, dedicated teacher, and ocean enthusiast, expressing shock and devastation over the incident. The fundraising efforts aim to assist Leah in her long journey to recovery, including rehabilitation, prosthetics, and ongoing medical care as she strives to reunite with her one-year-old daughter.
Off-duty lifeguard Charlie Verco rescued Leah from the water, and her family expressed gratitude to the responders and medical team for their efforts. Friends highlighted Leah’s admirable activism for water quality improvement and breast cancer awareness, citing her past participation in a charity swim for breast cancer research.
Following the attack, authorities temporarily closed several beaches in Sydney’s eastern suburbs for shark monitoring before reopening them on Monday.
