Charlie Verco. Photo: SLS NSW
North Bondi and Newport SLSC lifesaver, Charlie Verco, says he’s “never been more grateful to be a part of Surf Life Saving” after his actions during a shark incident at Coogee where he was able to bring Leah Stewart who had been bitten back to shore.
Charlie – an elite iron man who finished second on the professional Series this past season – was paddling his long board through Coogee while training for the Molokai 2 Oahu Paddleboard World Championships at the end of July when he witnessed a young woman encounter a shark just after 11am on Saturday 13 June.
The 25-year-old sprung to action, immediately signalling to alert the Council lifeguards back on the beach and paddling towards danger to render assistance.
“The only thing I was frightened of in that moment was the shark,” Charlie recalled.
“I wasn’t concerned about my ability to manage her injuries, I wasn’t concerned about my skills and competence to bring her back to shore on the board – which is almost double the size of a rescue board, with a rudder.
“There were pros and cons of being on that board, sure it’s not a rescue board, maybe not as agile, but at that time I definitely preferred being on as big a board as possible.”
What shouldn’t be taken lightly is the challenge Charlie was faced with in bringing his board back to shore under the circumstances – once he helped the victim grab hold of his drink cage on the craft, Charlie managed to paddle in backwards in a feat of athleticism and poise that belied the gravity of the situation.
He received assistance from the Coogee SLSC president Ben Heenan who had paddled out on a rescue board to help.
Now, having had time to comprehend the rescue and the situation that brought it about, he can acknowledge and work through the competing emotions he managed in real time.
“I feel like a lot of blokes look at this scenario on the news and think they’d have jumped into the water, swam out, punched the shark and saved everyone, but when it happened in real life you don’t quite think that way,” Charlie said.
“I had to negotiate my own fears as well as different risk factors, and once I felt it was a safe enough situation for me, I did everything I could to help.
“I’m so grateful for the training of Surf Life Saving, it’s gotten me to think about emergency situations, it’s trained me in first aid, it’s made me competent in the water, and it fostered my love for the ocean that meant I was even out there in the first place.
“That was what allowed me to at least be in a situation that meant I could bring her back to shore.”
Charlie has been involved in Surf Life Saving since he was six and now splits his time between North Bondi SLSC – where he patrols – and his competitive commitments for the powerhouse Sydney club, Newport SLSC.
He credits his surf sports career as a factor in his continued and deep-rooted love for the movement, noting it has “motivated him to stay proficient” and has taught him valuable skills complementary to his lifesaving training.
“I’ve been fortunate to get to a high level in surf sports, and I’ve worked through major challenges in sport because things can upset you. Being at that level, I’ve been able to learn to regulate my emotions and see the difference between being very excited and very scared,” he said.
“What that does is takes that fight or flight situation, and in the shark incident all I wanted to do was flight, but you take a second and think about what the rational way to react in this moment is.
“People have been reaching out and checking how I am, which I’m really grateful for, and the hardest part has been telling them that I’m fine. It’s a significant scenario, but the reactions I’m having, I’m confident they’re the ones I’m supposed to be having, and I know it all will pass.”
Charlie wasn’t the only volunteer surf lifesaver who became a first responder that morning and he is grateful that Ben Heenan from Coogee was also on site and rendered critical assistance alongside other off-duty emergency service professionals back on shore.
It’s a story that repeats itself over and over again – volunteers acting outside of hours, out-of-season, for the benefit of their communities.
It’s one of the movement’s greatest assets – the dedication and passion of its people.
“Surf Life Saving fosters a love for the ocean in so many people, and that meant on this particular day, in the middle of June when there’s no volunteer patrols, there were so many lifesavers down at the beach anyway, because they wanted to be, and they have that crucial training and they’re ready to act when required,” he said.
“I’ve never been more grateful to be a part of Surf Life Saving. This was a devastating incident but I consider myself fortunate to have the skills in the surf and the background in lifesaving that gave me the state of mind that I was capable of staying there and helping.”
Leah Stewart briefly woken from induced coma
Leah Stewart was taken to hospital in a critical condition after the attack on Saturday, June 13 and underwent surgery to amputate her arm and address other "life-threatening" injuries, her family said.
On Tuesday June 23 Leah's family shared Leah was brought out of the induced coma for a short period of time to talk to her loved ones.
"Doctors were able to extubate Leah and reduce her level of sedation to bring her out of the induced coma for a short period of time," Joshua Stewart, her brother, said in a statement posted to an online fundraiser for Ms Stewart.
"This allowed Leah to share her first words 'I love you' with her Mum and partner Fernando who have been by her side in ICU since the incident.
"Her first thoughts were with her daughter August and wanted to check she was OK."
Mr Stewart said the "wonderful news" came "a lot faster than anyone expected".
"For us this feels like a miracle and is everything so many of us have hoped and prayed for over the past week," he said.
"Leah remains in ICU and will continue to require this high level of care and support for some time."
Leah, a 34-year-old teacher, Deputy Principal, from Coogee, was swimming close to shore in between the flags when she was bitten across her arms and legs, suffering extreme blood loss in the attack.
Off-duty volunteer lifeguard Charlie Verco was paddling nearby and helped Ms Stewart to shore, where members of the public applied tourniquets and CPR before emergency services arrived.
Mr Stewart said his sister had undergone five days of surgery over the past week, with more operations scheduled.
"Leah has a long road ahead and still remains in critical care, but this is such a positive first step and gives us hope for Leah's long term recovery," he said.
You can help support Leah and her family at: www.gofundme.com/f/support-leah-stewart
Community Swim of Support
On Sunday June 21 the community of Coogee gathered on the beach to hold a community swim and 'reclaim' the waters off their beach. The sense of community, support for Leah and her family was palpable.
SLS NSW stated:
''What began as a response to a challenging week became a powerful show of community spirit, with locals coming together to support one another and regain confidence in the water.
''A huge credit to Coogee SLSC, Randwick City Council and everyone who helped make the event possible. The scenes on the beach and in the water were a reminder of what can be achieved when a community comes together.''
''The scenes on the beach and in the water were a reminder of what can be achieved when a community comes together.
Thousands joined the community swim, with many more showing their support from the shore. A sold-out barbecue raised funds for Leah Stewart and her family.
A special thank you to the Surf Life Saving NSW and Council Lifeguards whose significant water safety efforts helped ensure the event could be held safely.''