Leah Stewart celebrates recovery milestone after shark attack

Leah Stewart, a shark attack survivor who lost her arm below the elbow, has reached a significant personal milestone in her recovery. Four months after being attacked by a suspected great white shark at Coogee Beach in Sydney, Ms. Stewart revealed she has successfully learned to plait her own hair using only one hand.

Ms. Stewart, a teacher and mother, underwent 11 surgeries and spent time in a coma following the June 13 incident. She noted that styling her hair had been one of the most frustrating challenges of her disability, stating, “I have tried to tie up my hair hundreds of times and failed but luckily I’m very stubborn and look where it’s gotten me.”

In addition to celebrating this achievement, Ms. Stewart recently returned to Coogee to address community members participating in a bay swim, where she spoke about raising awareness and improving safety protocols.