On Monday evening, Lauren O’Neill was bitten while swimming close to a dock at sunset.
Despite the serious injuries to the 29-year-old’s leg, doctors battled through the night to prevent an amputation, according to Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.
Ms. O’Neill praised the life-saving assistance provided by bystanders, medical personnel, and police in a statement released on Wednesday.
She said that she was attacked while enjoying a “short dip” near the coast at Elizabeth Bay during a hot day, as she frequently did.
According to a statement issued by the, “She wishes to thank her heroic and very kind neighbors for the critical assistance they provided her.”
According to local media, the enthusiastic swimmer and kayaker frequently swam in open water but lived close to an ocean pool with shark nets.
Witnesses said that upon hearing her shout, they raced to the site and began administering first aid. One of the women, a veterinarian, used a tourniquet to stop the bleeding after helping Ms. O’Neill out of the water, and it is believed that this action may have saved her life.
Ms. O’Neill expressed her “deep gratitude” to the medical staff who were attending to her as well as the paramedics and police for their “rapid and compassionate actions at the scene.”
The statement said, “Her likely full recovery is testament to their extraordinary skills.”
She also expressed gratitude to the public and her loved ones for their support, but she asked for privacy.
Bull sharks are known to frequent Sydney Harbour, however attacks there are uncommon.
Locals should avoid the harbor on hot days and around dawn or dark when shark activity is highest, experts have cautioned again.
