Australian shark attack victim grateful for 'second chance at life'

What the report says

An Australian woman injured in a shark attack at Sydney’s Coogee Beach earlier this year says she feels she has been given a “second chance at life” as she continues recovering from severe injuries. Leah Stewart, 35, was bitten during a morning swim in June and suffered multiple wounds to her arms and legs, according to BBC World News.

The report says Stewart, a mother of one, was placed in an induced coma and underwent several operations, including the amputation of one arm. In a social media post on Monday, she thanked supporters who have raised more than AU$550,000 to help with her recovery. She said the last few months had been extremely difficult, but that she was now making notable progress and beginning to regain some independence.

Stewart also said she planned to make the most of her recovery and not “waste” the opportunity she feels she has been given. She described being deeply moved by support from family, friends and strangers, and said the fundraiser would now be closed.

BBC World News noted the attack happened amid a period of shark incidents in Australia this year. More broadly, shark attacks are rare but draw strong public attention in Australia, especially at popular beaches where safety measures such as warnings, patrols and, in some places, shark nets remain part of wider debate.