A mother who faced a life-threatening situation after a severe shark attack has spoken her first words since coming out of a medically induced coma, as per her family.
Leah Stewart, aged 35, was attacked by a great white shark while swimming at Coogee Beach in the eastern suburbs of Sydney on June 13.
She was swiftly taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in critical condition, where medical professionals carried out an arm amputation and multiple surgeries while she was in intensive care.
Family members have been updating the public with regular updates from her bedside, with her brother Joshua issuing an emotional statement recently.
“After a week of life support and several surgeries, doctors were able to remove Leah’s breathing tube and decrease her sedation to bring her out of the coma briefly,” he stated.
“During this time, Leah managed to say her first words, ‘I love you,’ to her mother and partner Fernando, who have been with her in the ICU since the incident.
“Her immediate concern was for her daughter August’s well-being and she wanted to ensure she was safe.
“This progress has been quicker than anticipated, feeling like a miracle for us and fulfilling the hopes and prayers of many over the past week.”
Despite the positive developments, Ms. Stewart is still receiving intensive care and has a challenging recovery journey ahead, as reported by the Daily Mail.
“She has undergone a series of surgeries over the past week, and more are scheduled for today and the upcoming weeks,” Joshua added. “Leah has a long path to recovery and remains in critical care, but this initial progress is a positive sign giving us hope for her long-term well-being.
“Once again, a heartfelt thank you to everyone supporting Leah through their care, prayers, love, and generosity.”
A crowdfunding campaign set up to aid Ms. Stewart’s rehabilitation, prosthetic limbs, and medical expenses has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, with donations totaling $488,000, according to the Express.
The incident took place while Ms. Stewart was swimming at Coogee Beach. Charlie Verco, an off-duty lifeguard paddleboarding nearby, acted swiftly following the attack.
He rescued her onto his board and headed towards the shore for urgent medical attention.
Ms. Stewart received multiple blood transfusions on the beach before being airlifted to St Vincent’s Hospital for intensive care.
A teacher at Hurstville Adventist School, Ms. Stewart previously worked at Sydney Adventist School in Auburn around ten years ago.
Former colleagues fondly remembered her, with one recalling her passion for the TV show Australian Survivor.
“She once mentioned her desire to be on Survivor. Now, a decade later, she is a survivor,” they remarked.
“She will face the challenges and emerge victorious. I wish her and your families all the best.”
At the time of the incident, Coogee Beach was not under active shark drone monitoring due to being in a flight path area. However, authorities later granted a temporary waiver for surveillance.
The shark involved is estimated to be between three and four meters long.
