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Sydney shark attack victim ‘overjoyed’ to be reunited with daughter
A Sydney woman who has been in a critical condition in hospital for 12 days after being mauled by a shark has woken from an induced coma and reunited with her young daughter.
Leah Stewart has undergone a series of surgeries to amputate her arm and address other “life-threatening” injuries since the attack at Coogee Beach on June 13.
In an update on Thursday, the 34-year-old’s brother, Joshua Stewart, said she was awake, no longer in a critical condition, and speaking with loved ones and her medical team.
“It’s amazing to hear from her so much sooner than anyone expected,” he said in a statement.
The statement said Ms Stewart was grateful to the medical team treating her and the public for their messages of support.
“In time Leah will want to share more of her story, she remembers the whole event in detail, but for now is focused on resting and healing as her doctors support her in pain management, tests, regaining some movement and preparing her for further surgeries tomorrow,” Mr Stewart said.
“Leah still has a long way to go, with an extensive recovery and rehabilitation process that will have her in and out of surgery through the coming weeks.
“Leah has shown she is so strong, fighting to come back to her daughter August.”
Mr Stewart said his sister did not yet have use of her hand because a severed tendon and nerve damage in her arm would require further treatment and intensive rehabilitation.
Screengrab / GoFundMe
‘Like a miracle’
Ms Stewart was swimming between the flags when she was bitten by what is believed to be a white shark.
The teacher was dragged to shore by an off-duty lifeguard on a paddleboard and rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
The injuries to her back, arms and legs were so severe that her arm was amputated and she was placed on life support.
Earlier this week, Mr Stewart revealed she was briefly taken out of a coma and told her mother and partner Fernando she loved them.
“For us, this feels like a miracle and is everything so many of us have hoped and prayed for over the past week,” he said at the time.
It occurred almost a week after 1,000 people turned out at Coogee Beach for a community swim-out in support of Ms Stewart.
The event was held in solidarity with the Stewart family and to encourage locals to return to the water.
Surveillance drones, lifeguards on jet skis and inflatable rescue boats were provided to reassure swimmers.
The Mayor of Randwick City Council, Dylan Parker, said the turnout sent a clear message the community’s heart went out to Ms Stewart as she recovered.
“It is a community coming together to wrap our arms around Leah, but also to come back to our special place, Coogee Beach,” he said.
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The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.
On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.
Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.
In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.
“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.
“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”
VNP / Phil Smith
Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.
That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.
“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.
Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.
Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.
The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.
Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.
Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.
“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”
Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.
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