Shark Attack Survivor Leah Stewart Reveals Devastating Skin Graft Setback Months After Losing Her Arm

Leah Stewart, the Sydney mother who survived a life-threatening shark attack at Coogee Beach, has revealed another painful setback in her recovery after doctors confirmed that her latest skin graft has failed.

Stewart, 34, was attacked by a great white shark while swimming at Coogee Beach on June 13. The attack left her with devastating injuries, including the loss of her left arm below the elbow and severe damage to her legs. She underwent multiple surgeries and spent about 10 days in a medically induced coma after suffering significant blood loss.

As doctors worked to repair her injured left leg, surgeons performed a skin graft using tissue taken from her right leg. The procedure was part of the extensive treatment required to help close the wound and continue her recovery.

But in an update shared on September 21, Stewart said she received news she had been hoping to avoid. Doctors checked the graft and confirmed that it had failed. She described herself as “pretty devastated,” saying she had shed tears and that she and her medical team were still unsure what the next step would be.

The setback means the wound on her left leg remains open roughly three and a half months after the attack. Stewart also showed followers her injuries for the first time, explaining that the skin had been taken from the top of her right thigh. She said the donor area was still raw but was healing, while the grafted area on her left leg had unfortunately not taken.

The failed procedure was Stewart’s second attempt at a skin graft. She is now temporarily taking a break from the VAC, or vacuum-assisted closure, device that had been used during the wound-healing process. The pause is allowing her to move more freely while doctors try a different approach to treating the wound.

Despite the emotional blow, Stewart has continued to document her recovery openly. Her latest message made clear that the failed graft has been difficult to process, but she remains determined to keep moving forward rather than allowing the setback to end her recovery journey.

Earlier this month, Stewart also spoke publicly about the attack and her fight to survive. She said her thoughts during the terrifying encounter centered on her daughter and her determination to stay alive. Her survival followed the intervention of beachgoers, lifesavers, police and a doctor who helped provide emergency assistance.

Now, months after the attack, Stewart faces another stage of a long and difficult recovery. With the latest graft unsuccessful, her medical team is exploring a different approach while she continues adjusting to the life-changing injuries she suffered at Coogee Beach.

For Stewart, the road ahead remains uncertain, but her latest update ended with a simple determination to keep going: “Anyway we keep moving forward.”

Source: NY Post