Sydney shark attack survivor wakes from coma, speaks first words to family
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A woman who was in a coma for 10 days after a shark attack off the coast of Sydney, Australia, said her first three words this week.
Leah Stewart woke up Tuesday while recovering in the hospital and told her family, “I love you,” according to her brother, who wrote the update on a fundraising page.
“After a week of life support and relapse[ed] Following the surgeries, doctors were able to extubate Leah and briefly bring her out of a coma by reducing her sedation level,” Stewart said. “This allowed Leah to share her first words, ‘I love you,’ with her mother and her partner, Fernando, who had been with her in the ICU since the incident.”
He added that his sister’s “first thought was for her daughter August” and asked if she was okay.
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Leah Stewart was asking questions about her daughter, who woke up shortly after a coma on Tuesday. (GoFundMe)
The mother and teacher in her mid-30s has already undergone five surgeries, including the amputation of an arm.
He was taken to hospital in critical condition at Coogee Beach, a popular weekend destination, on the morning of June 13 after a shark bit his legs and arms.
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Stewart told his family he loved them. (GoFundMe)
According to the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, Stewart was swimming near the shore and a friend was watching her daughter on the beach when the attack occurred.
“This is much faster than anyone expected and to us this feels like a miracle and everything so many of us have been hoping and praying for this past week,” Stewart wrote on a fundraising page.
Police and emergency personnel are on the scene following a shark attack at Coogee Beach in Sydney, Australia, on June 13. (Reuters/Hollie Adams)
He added: “Leah has a long road ahead of her and she is still in critical care, but this is a very positive first step and gives us hope for Leah’s long-term recovery.”
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Stewart’s attack comes after three people have been killed by sharks in Australia since May. A 12-year-old boy was also killed by a shark in Sydney Harbor in January.
