- Leah Stewart has briefly woken from an induced coma, about a week after she was bitten by a shark at Coogee Beach.
- Leah Stewart was taken to hospital in a critical condition after the attack on Saturday, June 13 and underwent surgery to amputate her arm and address other 'life-threatening' injuries, her family said.
- 'I love you': Sydney shark attack survivor's first words to family after waking from an induced coma.
- Doctors were able to extubate Leah and reduce her level of sedation to bring her out of the induced coma for a short period of time.
- Leah Stewart was bitten by a shark at Sydney's Coogee Beach about ten days ago.
- Leah Stewart underwent several surgeries including having her arm amputated.
- Leah's brother stated that this recovery is a miracle and gives hope for her long-term recovery.
- A fundraiser page set up to fund her medical procedures has garnered more than $488,000 in donations.
Leah Stewart, a 34-year-old mother, woke briefly from an induced coma on Tuesday, ten days after a shark attack at Coogee Beach.1256
"I love you," she told her mother and partner, marking a hopeful moment for her family.
Stewart was critically injured on June 13, requiring multiple surgeries, including an arm amputation.
Her brother, Joshua, expressed gratitude, stating, "This is a lot faster than anyone expected, and for us this feels like a miracle and is everything so many of us have hoped and prayed for over the past week."
Despite this positive sign, Leah remains in critical care, with a long recovery ahead.
A fundraiser for her medical expenses has raised over $488,000, reflecting community support.8
The attack has reignited debates over shark populations, with calls for culling, though NSW Premier Chris Minns noted that great white sharks are protected.
In response to the incident, aerial surveillance of Coogee Beach has been temporarily authorized by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
“Leah Stewart, a shark attack survivor, has woken from an induced coma to share her first words, 'I love you,' with her family. Her recovery journey continues as she remains in critical care following multiple surgeries.”
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Guardian