{"id":86873,"date":"2026-09-03T06:47:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T06:47:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/86873\/"},"modified":"2026-09-03T06:47:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-03T06:47:22","slug":"shark-attack-victim-leah-stewart-reunites-with-coogee-lifeguards-as-brendan-fevola-questions-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/86873\/","title":{"rendered":"Shark attack victim Leah Stewart reunites with Coogee lifeguards as Brendan Fevola questions story"},"content":{"rendered":"

The victim of a shocking shark attack<\/a> at one of Sydney\u2019s most popular beaches has reunited with the lifeguards who kept her alive.<\/p>\n

The 34-year-old mother, Leah Stewart<\/a>, was swimming between the flags at Coogee Beach when she was attacked by a shark<\/a> on the morning of June 13.<\/p>\n

Life savers and locals sprung into action to pull Stewart from the water and provide crucial first aid before the arrival of emergency services.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

Those efforts helped Stewart make it to hospital where emergency surgery saved her life at the cost of one of her arms being amputated.<\/p>\n

More than a month after the shocking incident, Stewart has began speaking about the experience and miraculous survival. <\/p>\n

She took to social media on Wednesday to share an image of her reuniting with two of the lifeguards who helped save her life.<\/p>\n

\u201cGot to meet these absolute legends today,\u201d she said in the post.<\/p>\n

\"LeahLeah Stewart, the victim of a shark attack at Sydney\u2019s Coogee Beach, has reunited with two of the lifeguards who helped save her life. Credit: @missleahstewart\/Instagram<\/p>\n

\u201cLast time we met they were performing CPR and breathing for me, this time we had a big hug and got to hang out at Maroubra Surf Life Saving club. <\/p>\n

\u201cThanks for being literal life savers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brendan Fevola accuses Leah Stewart of \u2018lying\u2019<\/p>\n

The reunion came just days after Stewart shared her harrowing account of the attack in an interview with 60 Minutes, explaining she had the foresight to choose which arm she would sacrifice as she punched the shark in order to get away.<\/p>\n

But that decision came under the scrutiny of former AFL player Brendan Fevola, who accused Stewart of embellishing her survival story.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was on the couch with my wife going, \u2018She\u2019s lying. Too much time to think. You\u2019re not thinking all that are you?\u2019\u201d Fevola told listeners of Fox FM\u2019s Fifi, Fev and Nick breakfast radio show.<\/p>\n

\u201cCome on, \u2018right or left?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cYou punched a shark in the face and survived, but you\u2019re not thinking all that … That\u2019s a lot of mayo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"LifeguardsLifeguards provided crucial first aid to Leah Stewart after she was attacked by a shark at Sydney\u2019s Coogee Beach. Credit: 7NEWS<\/p>\n

Fevola\u2019s co-host, Kate Langbroek, came to the defence of Stewart saying people act differently under pressure and there\u2019s no way to know exactly what someone was thinking in such a scenario.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only other person I know who\u2019s punched a shark is Mick Fanning. He said at the time he didn\u2019t even have a chance to think about what he was doing, it was like a reflex,\u201d Langbroek said.<\/p>\n

Stewart defends interview demeanour<\/p>\n

Stewart has since revealed the toll of speaking out about the attack, saying she appears calm in some interviews because she still feels \u201cdisconnected from it, almost like it happened in a dream\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that\u2019s my mind protecting me while I begin processing it,\u201d she said on social media.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very early in that process, but wanted to give a snapshot of where I\u2019m at.<\/p>\n

\u201cTruthfully I\u2019m a bit scared to move past this current state of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u2018I can finally see some light\u2019: Shark attack victim shares heartwarming update<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Shark attack victim\u2019s new challenge following amputation<\/p>\n

1 min read<\/p>\n

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