Shark attack survivor Leah Stewart has shared the powerful moment she returned to the beach where she was mauled by a great white, overcoming haunting flashbacks.
Ms Stewart, 35, posted a video of herself setting foot on Coogee Beach for the first time since the attack in June, which left her in a coma for 10 days and resulted in the amputation of her left arm below the elbow.
After months of sleepless nights, flashbacks and an arduous recovery, Ms Stewart found the courage to return to the beach with her young daughter, August, by her side.
The emotional clip showed the primary school teacher smiling and walking towards the water while holding August’s hand as Natasha Bedingfield’s Unwritten played in the background.
Ms Stewart said it took ‘a lot of work’ before she felt ready to return to the beach where the attack happened.
‘Not too long ago the thought of the beach would trigger a flashback but after lots of work it felt so good to feel the water again,’ she wrote in the caption.
‘I hadn’t planned to touch the water or sand for the first time yesterday, I was standing on the grass and realised I didn’t feel fear in my chest.
‘As I got closer, I focused on the cold on my toes and the little hand holding mine.’
The mother who almost died after being mauled by a great white shark at a Sydney beach has pushed past months of haunting flashbacks to return to the very spot where she nearly lost her life
Leah Stewart, 34, posted a video of herself setting foot on Coogee Beach for the first time since the attack in June, which left her in a coma for two weeks and resulted in the amputation of part of her left arm
As her recovery continued, Ms Stewart said she was slowly overcoming the trauma of the attack and was returning to the things she loved.
‘As I heal, I’m starting to live without the fear that absolutely controlled me and come back to what I love with a deeper appreciation of the little and big things,’ she said.
Ms Stewart was swimming between the flags, about 30 metres from shore, when the shark attacked her thigh and left arm on June 13.
She told 60 Minutes she was dragged under the water and was convinced she would die, but then she thought of her daughter.
‘She’s not going to have a mum. She’s going to grow up without a mum,’ Ms Stewart said in her first interview since the attack.
‘I twisted myself around, and I just started punching it over and over and over again, just punch, punch, punch.
‘It was like fighting a dinosaur, it was so big. It was like punching a brick wall.
‘I was like, “You ugly f***er, you are not taking me away from my daughter.”‘
Users flooded the comments section with messages of support, with some describing Ms Stewart as an inspiration.
‘You’re a brave girl and you’re alive, that’s all that matters really,’ one said.
As her recovery continued, Ms Stewart said she was slowly overcoming the trauma of the attack and was beginning to love life again
Ms Stewart was swimming between the flags, about 30 metres from shore, when the shark sunk its razor-sharp teeth into her thigh and arm on June 13
Many flooded the comments section with messages of support, with some describing Ms Stewart as an inspiration
‘You are strong and so inspiring Leah and August is so lucky to have you as her mum,’ a second said.
One even said they followed her journey from overseas.
‘Please know that here in Brazil, you have friends who, even from afar, followed your struggle and now celebrate your victory,’ they said.
‘We are constantly keeping your recovery and your healing from the trauma caused by this incident in our prayers!’
