In brief
- Leah Stewart was attacked by a great white shark while swimming at Coogee Beach in June.
- She has spoken publicly for the first time since the attack, thanking the community for the support she had been shown.
A Sydney mother has spoken publicly for the first time since surviving a shark attack more than two months ago, crediting community support with helping her "get better, not bitter".
In a post on her GoFundMe donation page, Leah Stewart, 34, said she still had a long way to go, but her recovery had been "remarkable".
"A huge part of that is because of the absolute army of love, support, prayers and encouragement surrounding my family and I from all over the world," she said.
"That means more to me than I can say, and I truly believe it’s played a huge role in my recovery."
Stewart was swimming between the flags close to shore when she was attacked by a great white shark at Coogee Beach on 13 June.
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She was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, being induced in a coma and undergoing multiple surgeries, including the amputation of one of her arms.
The mother-of-one said she had been focused on her recovery and had "progressed enough to build some independence, and I can finally see some light after all of this".
"I want you to know that I feel like I’ve been given a second chance at life, and I’m not going to waste it. As I get better, I know I’ll make something of this second chance and aim to give back even more in generosity, care, and love. I will forever be grateful for everything, and everyone, I’ve been given," she said.
"You've inspired me to get better, not bitter."
Stewart thanked those who had contributed to the fundraiser, which had reached more than $558,000, but it was time to turn donations off.
"What you’ve offered has given us enough to recover, to stay in our home, and to give us options for further medical treatment down the road," she said.
Sydney has experienced a spate of shark attacks this year, including three in just 48 hours in January.
On 18 January, 12-year-old Nico Antic was critically injured and later died after being attack by a suspected bull shark while swimming off rocks in Vaucluse in Sydney Harbour.
The following day, Andre de Ruyter, 27, was attacked while surfing near Manly, suffering extreme blood loss and undergoing surgery to have one of his legs amputated.
An 11-year-old boy's surfboard was also bitten at Dee Why Beach on the same day, but the young surfer escaped injury.
After Stewart was attacked in June, NSW Premier Chris Minns said his government would invest an extra $34 million in drone coverage across NSW beaches.
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