Australian shark attack victim grateful for ‘second chance at life’
Leah Stewart, a 35-year-old Sydney woman bitten by a shark while swimming at Coogee Beach in June, has said she feels she has been given a "second chance at life" following months of gruelling recovery. She was placed in an induced coma and underwent several surgeries, including the amputation of one arm, after the attack, which was part of a wider spate of shark incidents across Australia this year.
In her first public comments since the attack, posted online on Monday, Stewart thanked the family, friends and strangers who raised more than AU$550,000 (£289,000) to support her recovery, saying the fundraiser had now closed and would fund at-home care and possible future medical treatment. Australia has seen several serious shark attacks in 2026, including four in a single two-day period in January, one of which killed a 12-year-old boy, as well as fatal attacks in Queensland and Western Australia, reviving debate over the use of shark nets.
- Sydney woman Leah Stewart recovering after June shark attack at Coogee Beach
- Lost an arm; public raised over AU$550,000 for her recovery
- Attack part of a wider spate of deadly shark incidents in Australia this year
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Leah Stewart was bitten by a shark in June while swimming at Coogee Beach, a popular spot in Sydney, Australia. The attack left her seriously injured, requiring an induced coma, multiple operations and the amputation of an arm. She has since spoken publicly for the first time about her recovery, describing it as a "second chance at life".
Her case gained wide attention partly because of a large public fundraising effort, which brought in more than AU$550,000 to help cover her ongoing care. It also drew attention because it came during a period in which Australia recorded an unusually high number of serious shark incidents in 2026, including fatal attacks in other states.
The broader run of shark bites this year has renewed public debate in Australia about beach safety measures, particularly the use of shark nets, which are intended to reduce the risk of attacks but are also controversial for their effect on marine life. Stewart's story is often cited in that wider discussion as an example of both the severity of these incidents and the recovery process survivors face.