Doctors reattach half of ear that was sliced off in brutal Larchmont attack

LARCHMONT, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A man was violently slashed in an attack outside his Larchmont home that severed his ear.

Jesus Balderas Alfaro was rushed to the hospital, where doctors were able to save and reattach his ear. He now wears gruesome surgery scars that recount the path of the attack across his face and skull.

"It's very traumatizing," Alfaro told Eyewitness News. "I keep having flashbacks of hearing the hit and sound of my skin ripping. It was a gruesome sound."

The attack happened early Monday on Raleigh Street in the Larchmont neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Alfaro, 31, heard noises outside his home and went to investigate. Only weeks earlier, thieves had stolen all the tires off his car.

He discovered his windshield had been smashed. He says the suspect, who appeared to be homeless, disappeared into the shadows.

"I went to go see the damage, and I turned my back this way, and he was walking away from me," he recalled. "And I just feel a punch and my skin rip once he pulled his hand back."

Blood started gushing and at first Alfaro thought his neck had been slashed, giving him maybe seconds to live.

But the knife wounds were higher - stretching from the top of his cheekbone, clean through his ear and to the back of his skull.

He was rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery to save his ear.

"I'm just lucky it didn't go through my neck or anything like that. Anything close to an artery."

A GoFundMe has been started to help Jesus recover.

The LAPD is investigating if the random attack may be connected to any other, recent stabbing cases.

Jesus says he wants to warn the public to be alert and is worried the suspect will strike again.

"He did it without hesitation. Nothing, just go for it. I'm just gonna be vigilant and aware of my surroundings. Material stuff can be replaced but a life can't."