Leah Stewart, an Australian mother and teacher, faces a challenging recovery after losing an arm in a shark attack at Sydney’s Coogee Beach. During her sleepless nights, she draws strength from supportive messages sent by people worldwide, her family shared.

“We’ve been sharing some of the beautiful messages we’ve received with Leah. She’s loved them, finding inspiration from the care and love you’ve all shared,” wrote her brother, Joshua Stewart, in a GoFundMe update. He explained that Leah finds strength in these messages despite facing challenging days.

Struggling with sleep, Leah has been reading these messages from family, friends, and strangers across the globe, including her whānau in New Zealand. Her brother noted that this broad support gave her comfort and strength.

“Since the incident Leah has had difficulty sleeping, and on those nights she’s been reading back through your messages, not only from her family and community in Australia but also from people all across the world,” he wrote, highlighting the value of these connections.

Leah, a mother to a young daughter and a dedicated teacher, was attacked on June 13 during a morning swim near the shore at Coogee Beach. The attack left her with severe injuries, including multiple bites, lacerations, fractures, and significant blood loss. Initially placed on life support, she underwent multiple surgeries after enduring a medically induced coma, resulting in the amputation of one arm. More surgeries are planned as doctors aim to stabilize her condition.

Upon waking from her 10-day coma, Leah expressed her love to her family, including her partner, Fernando, and her concern for her daughter, August. Joshua described her awakening as a promising first step in her recovery.

The family acknowledged challenges in responding to supporters due to GoFundMe messaging issues, noting Leah’s overwhelming gratitude for the support and the impact of her story.

A GoFundMe campaign supports Leah, Fernando, and August through this difficult time, focusing on recovery, prosthetics, rehabilitation, and necessary adjustments to her new life. The funds aim to help Leah resume her role as a mother.

The family expressed gratitude to the lifesavers, first responders, helicopter crew, and medical staff at St. Vincent’s Hospital for their care. “As a family, we are shocked and devastated that this could happen to our beloved partner, daughter, and mother who is so full of life and energy,” Joshua commented.