Shark attack victim Leah Stewart breaks silence after interview backlash

Shark attack victim Leah Stewart has spoken out over criticism about her calm manner when recounting being attacked by a shark at Coogee beach in June.

“You may have noticed how calm I seemed describing the attack,” she said on Instagram, after an interview with UK breakfast show, Good Morning Britain.

“Truthfully, I still feel disconnected from it, almost like it happened in a dream. I think that’s my mind protecting me as I begin to process it.”

It’s not the first time this week, her account has been commented on. Radio hosts Kate Langbroek, Brendan Fevola and Nick Cody came under fire for questioning her story.

The trio were co-hosting the breakfast show on Melbourne’s 101.9 The Fox on Monday, when they brought up Leah Stewart’s 60 Minutes interview from the night before.

During the interview, the mother-of-one recalled the moment that she was attacked by a great white shark while swimming at Sydney’s Coogee Beach on June 13,.

Upon coming face-to-face with the shark, Leah said she asked herself, “Which limb am I willing to lose?” before giving the shark a “left hook”.

Leah’s left arm was later amputated and she suffered extreme blood loss.

Brendan Fevola under fire for comments about shark attack survivor Leah Stewart

After playing a segment of Leah’s interview on the Fifi, Fev & Nick show, Brendan suggested that Leah wouldn’t have had time to think about anything while the shark was attacking her.

“Stay with me here… I’ve never been in this position and I wouldn’t understand what would go on, but if a shark was attacking you, you wouldn’t have much time to think,” he said.

“No, most people say you don’t even know what’s happening,” Kate, who was filling in for FiFi Box, added.

Brendan then doubled-down on his comments, saying he was on the couch with his wife Alex watching the show thinking “She’s lying!”

Kate then pointed out that none of them knew what it was like to be in that kind of situation.

“Mercifully, we don’t know,” she told her co-host. “But it does seem unusual. The only other person I know who’s punched a shark is (professional surfer) Mick Fanning. He said at the time he didn’t even have a chance to think about what he was doing, it was like a reflex.”

Brendan stood by his comments saying there was a lot of “mayo” on Leah’s story.

“Come on, oh right or left? Like bro, you are amazing – you punched a shark in the face and survived – but you’re not thinking all that. That’s a lot of mayo,” he said.

Aussies defend Leah Stewart after Fev and Kate’s comments

Since the radio segment went to air, loyal listeners have flocked to the comments section to share their disappointment with the hosts’ comments.

“What a sad world we now live in,” one person wrote on Facebook. “Why would Fev, or anyone else for that matter, question this incredible woman that escaped a certain death, thanks to a team of incredibly selfless, skilled strangers. I was in awe of her bravery, courage and determination.”

“I hope this beautiful, brave woman never gets to hear or read your demeaning remarks,” commented someone else. “As a survivor I’m disgusted.”

“A woman can’t even get attacked by a shark without criticism,” added a third.

However, some defended Brendan’s comments.

“She did great to fight that shark off but I certainly watched that and thought there is a tonne of mayo on that story! The book will be along at all good QBD stores soon…” wrote one person.

“Thought the same!” added someone else. “Amazing woman and great story but just a little too much extra mayo. I’d bet my house that she becomes a motivational speaker after this and why not make money from such a horrible situation. Good on her.”

Leah Stewart recalls the moment she came face-to-face with the shark

During the 60 Minutes interview, Leah emotionally recalled thinking that her daughter was going to grow up without a mum.

“I twisted myself around, and I just started punching it over and over and over again, just punch, punch, punch,” she explained.

“It was like fighting a dinosaur, it was so big. It was like punching a brick wall. I was like, ‘You ugly f***er, you are not taking me away from my daughter’.”

Leah said she was “about to reach the end of the tunnel” when she saw a vision of August.

“I said ‘I can’t die right now, I can’t.’ I know it sounds strange, but I sort of willed myself back,” she explained. “And I opened my eyes and I could see everyone around me at that point.”