Ronald Poppo, Victim Of The Miami Cannibal Attack, Recovering And Learning To Play Guitar In Florida [VIDEO]

We all remember the horrendous news last year about a "Miami Zombie" that was caught on camera beating up a homeless man and chewing his face off.

May 26, 2012, Rudy Eugene's car broke down on his way to Miami Beach. After spending almost an hour in and around the car, he abandoned it and began crossing the MacArthur Causeway while stripping down.

Eugene, completely naked, encountered Ronald Poppo, a homeless man lying underneath an elevated Metromover railway and began to beat him up, strip him of his pants and bite his face. A passing cyclist saw the attack and called 911. Police officer José Ramírez arrived at the scene and warned Eugene, who ignored him, so Ramírez shot the attacker, killing him.

After the attacks, Poppo was admitted into Jackson Memorial Hospital where he underwent facial reconstructive surgeries. Currently, his left eye socket is a hollow shadow, after he lost it in the attack, his blinded right eye is covered by a skin graft and his nose is reduced to just the nostrils.

He is now living at Jackson Memorial Perdue Medical Center in Miami and has gained more than 50 pounds since he first came into the hospital's emergency room. He's also working with an occupational therapist and specialists from the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind to learn how to adjust to his blindness, and has learned how to dress himself, feed himself, shower and shave, and now picked up the guitar again, after 40 years.

The hospital posted an online video showing a happy Poppo, joking with nurses and being in good spirits. "People in my predicament need to be helped out, and I'm sure there's other people also that have the same type of predicament. I thank the outpouring of people contributing, I'll always be grateful for that," said Ronald Poppo in the video.

The help he is referring to is a Jackson Memorial Foundation fund that has raised over $100,000 for his medical expenses. His care is also covered by Medicaid.

Poppo's doctors praised him and said he's satisfied with the surgeries and skin grafts that closed his wounds. He could still use his own tissues or prosthetics to replace his nose or eye, but he is not interested in more facial reconstruction.

"He is blind, so he can't see what he looks like," said Urmen Desai, one of the plastic surgeons treating Poppo. "And furthermore, it is not important the way the world sees him."

Surgeon Wrood Kassira then added, "He is more than content with where he is. He's a very pleasant person, and simple with what he wants out of life. He's grateful."

Adolfa Sigue, nurse manager at Perdue Medical Center, said that Poppo doesn't want more surgeries, "What for? I am not going anywhere." She also explained that he doesn't blame his attacker. "The only thing that he always tells me is that, 'I'm sure that that man had a bad day that day.'"

His caretakers would like to see him exercise more, but Poppo refuses to leave the facility unless he's going to the hospital to see his doctors. He also hasn't allowed any visitors to see him, and hasn't wanted to talk with relatives other than a sister.

"He doesn't wander out of his room very often," Patricia Copalko, a certified nursing assistant said, adding, "He needs to get out and he has refused. But also, I get it. He says, 'My face.'"

Staff at the hospital describe Poppo as a charming, cooperative patient who enjoys listening to Miami Heat basketball games on the radio.
People can send Poppo well wishes trough the hospital's Twitter account using the hashtag #Wishes4Poppo.