‘I love you’: Sydney shark attack survivor’s first words after emerging from coma

Wednesday, 24 June 2026

Leah Stewart, pictured with her daughter, was attacked by a great white shark at Coogee earlier in June.

A woman who survived a terrifying shark attack at a beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs has emerged from a coma to tell her family she loves them after days of repeated surgeries.

Leah Stewart, 35, has been in intensive care since she was mauled by a shark at Coogee Beach on June 13.

But doctors have been able to extubate her and reduce her sedation levels, allowing her to emerge from an induced coma for a short period, after a series of surgical procedures including an arm amputation.

Swimmers take part in the charity event at Coogee on Sunday.

“This allowed Leah to share her first words ‘I love you’ with her Mum and partner Fernando who have been by her side in ICU since the incident,” Stewart’s brother Joshua wrote in an update on Tuesday.

“Her first thoughts were with her daughter August and wanted to check she was OK.

“This is a lot faster than anyone expected, and for us this feels like a miracle and is everything so many of us have hoped and prayed for over the past week.

Andre de Ruyter has returned to the water after surviving a shark attack in January.

“Leah has a long road ahead and still remains in critical care, but this is such a positive first step and gives us hope for Leah’s long-term recovery,” he said.

The update came via an online fundraiser which has raised nearly $500,000 from more than 7000 donors to support Stewart’s recovery.

One thousand swimmers who swam out in the heavily patrolled waters at Coogee were encouraged to look out for blue gropers – Stewart’s favourite underwater sight – during a fundraiser on Sunday.

Meanwhile, more than five months after being attacked by a shark on the northern beaches and losing a leg, 27-year-old Andre de Ruyter has re-entered the water.

His mother Lisa shared video of him paddling on a surfboard on Tuesday evening, with dog Luna swimming behind.

While shark attack survivors continue their recovery, alarms have continued to empty the water at Sydney beaches due to sightings this week.

Further shark mitigation efforts have been cited as one potential way a AU$1.1 billion contingencies fund announced in the NSW state budget on Tuesday could be spent.