MOTHER REVEALS HOW THINKING OF HER BABY HELPED HER SURVIVE HORRIFIC SHARK ATTACK

SYDNEY, Australia — Leah Stewart was swimming near the shore at Sydney’s Coogee Beach when an ordinary morning in the water suddenly became a fight for her life.

The 34-year-old teacher and mother was attacked by a suspected great white shark on June 13, 2026, suffering severe, life-threatening injuries that ultimately led to the amputation of one of her arms. She spent weeks in critical condition and underwent multiple surgeries during her recovery.

Now, two months after the attack, Stewart is speaking publicly about the terrifying encounter — and revealing the one thought that kept her fighting when she believed she might not survive.

Her 18-month-old daughter, August.

“SHE’S NOT GOING TO HAVE A MUM”

In a preview of her interview with Australia’s 60 Minutes, Stewart recalled coming face-to-face with the shark.

She described its appearance as something she would never forget.

But amid the terror, one thought became stronger than the fear.

The shark had hold of her leg when Stewart began thinking about her little girl.

She realized that if she died, August would grow up without her mother.

That thought, Stewart said, gave her a reason to keep fighting.

“I thought of August,” she recalled through tears.

For Stewart, surviving was no longer simply about escaping the animal.

It was about getting back to her daughter.

THE ATTACK HAPPENED CLOSE TO SHORE

Stewart had been swimming between the flags and close to shore at Coogee Beach when the shark attacked.

The suspected great white was estimated at roughly 3.5 meters, or about 11 feet, according to earlier reporting.

Despite being in an area considered suitable for swimming, Stewart suffered catastrophic injuries.

Her family previously said she sustained severe injuries to her arms and legs, including fractures and extensive lacerations. One arm ultimately had to be amputated.

The attack left her in critical condition.

But the story did not end there.

A DESPERATE RESCUE

After Stewart was attacked, off-duty lifesaver Charlie Verco paddled into the bloodied water and helped bring her back toward shore.

Members of the public and lifesavers then worked desperately to keep her alive, including applying tourniquets to control catastrophic blood loss and performing CPR.

She was eventually rushed to St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, where doctors began treating her extensive injuries.

Her family later expressed enormous gratitude toward the rescuers and medical teams who helped save her life.

SHE SPENT WEEKS FIGHTING TO RECOVER

Stewart’s injuries were so severe that she was placed in a medically induced coma.

She underwent multiple surgeries, including the amputation of her arm.

At one point, doctors briefly brought her out of sedation.

Her first words to her loved ones were simple:

“I love you.”

Her family described that moment as an encouraging sign in what had been an extraordinarily difficult recovery.

She later reunited with August as her condition improved.

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY HAS BEEN LONG

More than two months after the attack, Stewart says she is finally beginning to regain some independence.

In an update shared on Aug. 23, she said she could now see “some light” after months of extremely difficult recovery.

She also expressed gratitude toward the thousands of people who supported her family.

A fundraiser established after the attack raised more than A$500,000, helping provide financial support during her rehabilitation and ongoing medical treatment.

Stewart said the overwhelming support has played a major role in her recovery.

She now describes herself as having been given a second chance at life.

And she says she intends to make the most of it.

SHE REMEMBERS THE SHARK

Perhaps one of the most haunting parts of Stewart’s account is that she remembers seeing the animal.

She described its face as terrifying and said the image has stayed with her.

The encounter lasted only moments, but its consequences will last a lifetime.

Stewart is now facing the physical and emotional aftermath of an attack that permanently changed her life.

Yet her focus remains remarkably clear.

Her daughter. Her recovery. And the future they still have together.

A SECOND CHANCE AFTER A LIFE-CHANGING ATTACK

The June attack sparked renewed debate in Australia over shark safety and surveillance at popular beaches.

Authorities have since expanded efforts to monitor shark activity, including the use of drone surveillance along the coast.

But for Stewart, the story is much more personal.

She went into the ocean for a morning swim.

Minutes later, she was fighting for her life.

She lost an arm.

She endured multiple surgeries and weeks of critical illness.

But she survived.

And when asked what kept her fighting during those terrifying moments, her answer comes back to the same person:

August, the little girl who was only 18 months old when her mother went into the ocean — and who Stewart was determined to come home to.

“She’s not going to have a mum.”

That fear became her motivation to survive.

Now, after everything she has endured, Stewart is finally beginning to build a new life with her daughter — one she says she will never take for granted.