It's been nearly four months since Nabute Ghebrehiwet was whacked in the head with a hammer during his nightly walk in Centretown, leaving him blind in one eye and unable to work at his job at the Canada Revenue Agency.

The 54-year-old has visible scars on his forehead, a broken bone in his left ear and struggles with hand-eye coordination but he still can't remember what led to the attack.

I want to know why. That's the question that's on my head because I don't know him. - Nabute Ghebrehiwet

"I don't remember much. When he hit me, I blacked out," he said. "I didn't see him coming when he was coming to hit me."

Witnesses told him he was struck "quite a few" times before his attacker ran away down Somerset Street around 6:30 p.m. on December 9. Police released photos of a suspect and later arrested a 31-year-old man under the Mental Health Act.

"I want to know why. That's the question that's on my head because I don't know him," Ghebrehiwet said.

Ghebrehiwet went to court to see the man face charges of aggravated assault and possession of a hammer for a dangerous purpose.

"The first time I saw his face at the courthouse, via video link, nothing came up. No emotion came up. I just looked at him and nothing stirred inside me. So, I don't know yet what my feelings are for him. There was no anger or sadness or madness or whatever — nothing."

Case returns to court April 15

Nabute Ghebrehiwet is blind in his left eye following the December 2014 hammer attack. (CBC) expected to appear in mental health court on April 15. The charges have not been proven in court. The suspect is

Charles Matthews, who has known Ghebrehiwet for a couple of years, said it's difficult to understand this "totally senseless" and "vicious attack" on a kind person.

"Very nice man. Never would hurt a fly. It's always a polite, 'Hi, how are you.' Even after this incident he has not changed. He is a real superman," Matthews said.

Ghebrehiwet said he living his life one day at a time as he heals. He still goes for walks, but said he is now more alert than he used to be.

"I watch out backwards, one or twice, because he came to me from the blind side," he said. "That worries me — maybe he might come do it to me again. Maybe he might do it to someone else. So, that worries me quite a bit."

​Ghebrehiwet said his colleagues and supervisors at the Canada Revenue Agency have been supportive, and hopes to be able to return to work eventually. He said there's a possibility he could have surgery on his eye this spring.

"From what the doctors say, it was a severe damage to the globe of the eye," he said. "I hope I'll get better as time goes on. Time heals everything so I don't know how it will turn out. But for now, I'm just staying at home and taking care of myself."