Doctors Say 'Miami Zombie' Victim is Doing Well

By Brian Hamacher and Diana Gonzalez, NBC Miami

June 12, 2012 Updated Jun 12, 2012 at 3:40 PM PDT

The Miami doctors who have been caring for the homeless man whose face was mauled off by another man over Memorial Day weekend said Tuesday that he is awake and talking but cannot see and will need multiple surgeries.

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Ronald Poppo has been recovering at Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center since the May 26th attack along the MacArthur Causeway.

"I'm very pleased to say Mr. Poppo is doing very well today," Ryder's Chief of Trauma Dr. Nicholas Namias said during a news conference Tuesday. "He is eating, he is talking with us."

Poppo was rushed to the hospital after he was attacked by 31-year-old Rudy Eugene who tore off and chewed most of the 65-year-old's face, authorities said.

Surgeon Wrood Kassira said Poppo's left eye was "essentially destroyed" and had to be removed, and his right eye has been covered with a flap of his own tissue in an attempt to salvage it. He can't see as of now but there is some hope that he may recover some vision, Kassira said.

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