Miami Zombie Attack Victim's Recovery Hailed as Miraculous; Photos Released by Hospital [Photos]
Ronald Poppo, the homeless victim of a horrific cannibalistic attack in Miami who has had most of his face chewed off, is now reportedly awake and alert after undergoing surgery and receiving treatment at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.
During a press conference at Jackson Memorial Hospital, photographs of Ronald Poppo were released after he received numerous skin graft surgeries for his injuries. One photo portrays Poppo walking down the hospital with staff. His recovery has been hailed as miraculous by doctors, considering what had happened to him.
The photos show the top half of Poppo's face still bloody and scabby. Skin has been grafted over his left eye and a patch on the other. His left eye had to be removed but Poppo has no vision on his right eye.
Poppo had been at the Jackson Memorial Hospital since he was attacked by Rudy Eugene on May 26.
Initial autopsy reports on Rudy Eugene saw no sign of human flesh in his system, but he was found to have flesh stuck between his teeth. Instead, he was found to have undigested pills in his stomach which have yet to be identified.
Further tests will indicate what drugs Rudy had taken prior to the attack. Officials believe he may have been high on bath salts.
Marijuana was found in Eugene's body in a preliminary review.
The official autopsy report will not be released to the public until a full investigation is completed regarding the shooting of Eugene by a nearby police officer who had repeatedly told him to stop eating his victim. But despite warnings, Eugene simply growled at the officer and continued with his attack. The officer was then forced to shoot the victim to stop Eugene from gnawing at the poor man's face.
On a sunny afternoon on May 26, a naked Eugene stripped 65-year-old Ronald Poppo from the waist down and started to attack him for a full 18 minutes. He chewed off nearly 80 percent of his face. Poppo suffered horrific injuries, including an eye being completely gouged out, nose chomped off, and only his mouth and goatee remaining.
