Leah Stewart Shares a Major Recovery Milestone After Shark Attack

Leah Stewart says a serious wound to her leg has finally closed, marking a major step forward months after a great white shark attack at Coogee Beach. The 34-year-old mother shared the update on Instagram, describing it as “the best update” after a long period of treatment and setbacks. Stewart lost an arm in the June attack and spent months at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney receiving care for a large wound on her leg. After skin grafts failed in September, doctors used a device called DermaClose to bring the surrounding skin together. Stewart said it helped close about 70 per cent of the wound, while the remaining area took considerably longer to heal. In her post, she used a piece of card to show the size of the original bite and shared footage of her rescue. She recalled that part of her quadriceps and outer hamstring could not be saved, leaving a deep indentation. The scar is now much smaller than the initial injury, she said, and her leg is covered with her own skin. Stewart said she can use the leg and no longer needs to wrap it whenever she showers or worry about the wound becoming infected. She acknowledged that its function may never be perfect and that years of physiotherapy could lie ahead, but said she felt grateful to still have the leg and be walking. She has chosen to wear the scar with pride. Her recovery has also involved treatment for the emotional effects of the attack. Stewart said Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing therapy has helped her process traumatic memories and regain a sense of normal life. She explained that she can recall the incident without her body reliving the same response, according to the update.