Health · Healthcare & Policy · 13 hrs ago
Shark attack survivor Leah Stewart says leg wound has healed
Leah Stewart says her leg wound has healed nearly five months after a great white shark attacked her at Coogee Beach in Sydney.
Stewart was swimming at the beach on June 13 when the shark injured her arms and legs.
She underwent more than a dozen operations, including the amputation of her left arm.
Doctors used a device to gradually close the large wound on her leg, after part of her thigh muscle could not be saved.
The wound has closed, and she says she is no longer worried about infection or needing to cover it when she showers.
Her recovery matters because the attack caused severe injuries and left her in a medically induced coma for more than a week.
Stewart is also receiving therapy to process the attack, which she said had caused nightmares and sleep problems.
Shark attack survivor Leah Stewart says the wound on her leg has healed and she is no longer worried about infection.
Stewart was attacked by a great white shark at Coogee Beach in Sydney on June 13.
The attack caused multiple injuries, and she underwent more than a dozen operations, including the amputation of her left arm.
Doctors used a device called DermaClose to gradually close the leg wound.
The reports differ on Stewart’s age: ABC Australia says she is 35, while the Daily Mail says she is 36.
- Who
- Leah Stewart, a shark attack survivor from Coogee.
- What
- She says her leg wound has healed and is no longer at risk of infection.
- When
- She shared the update on November 9, 2026. The attack happened on June 13.
- Where
- Coogee Beach, in Sydney’s east; Stewart received treatment at St Vincent’s Hospital.
- Why
- She shared the update to report on her recovery.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Stewart was attacked by a great white shark while finishing a swim at Coogee Beach.
Stewart underwent more than a dozen operations, including the amputation of her left arm.
Stewart described the shark being 30 centimetres from her face in an interview.
Stewart said her leg wound had healed and she was no longer at risk of infection.
- Attack date
- June 13
- Attack location
- Coogee Beach, Sydney
- Shark
- Great white
- Surgeries
- More than a dozen, including amputation of Stewart’s left arm
- Wound treatment
- Doctors used DermaClose to help close the wound
2 sources
What people are saying
I am really proud of my own body and the amazing team at St Vincent's and I survived the great white, so I've got a cool scar to show for it
But the fact of the matter is, I can use my legs and I don't have to wrap it up every time I have a shower or be worried about infection because now it is closed.
I have some very exciting news … my leg has finally healed. It has been a journey,