CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A man who nearly lost his life after getting stabbed with a knife in a Cape Coral parking lot on Nov. 5 has been released from the hospital.

Larry Lopez said that at 2 a.m. on Sunday, he was attacked by a stranger in a parking lot outside of a restaurant called El Tropical which is located in a plaza off of Hancock Bridge Parkway West.

He said his friends were drinking, dancing, and having a great time at El Tropical when a big fight broke out. He said that as they were about to leave, a stranger attacked him with a knife in the parking lot, cutting his chest wide open.

GET MORE COVERAGE: Cape Coral police searching for suspect in restaurant stabbing

It left a wound that was over 12 inches long.

“He also punched me in the lung and my diaphragm and close to my heart. I almost was paralyzed, even killed,” said Lopez.

Lopez said his brain and body went into survival mode. He said he immediately got inside his friend’s car and headed home with them, not knowing what was going on.

His friends didn’t know he was stabbed until they got home. He said they called 911 as soon as they realized.

“I remember just running away feeling like I couldn’t breathe, and there was blood there, and before I knew it, I passed out and woke up in the hospital.” “My next memory was waking up with a tube down my throat,” Lopez said.

The Cape Coral Police Department responded to El Tropical to investigate taking statements from witnesses

A police report said a knife was located inside the restaurant, but it had no blood on it.

Lopez spent the next five days in the hospital fighting for his life. He was released on Friday afternoon, but dozens of staples remain in his chest.

So far, no one has been arrested. The Cape Coral Police Department won’t say if they’ve identified a suspect but that they’ve made progress in the case.

“I’m really surprised there’s cameras over there.” I don’t know how there’s no footage of this,” said Lopez.

Lopez said this is his first time in Cape Coral. He said he traveled from Miami to Cape Coral to celebrate his friend’s birthday.

Lopez is headed back to Miami soon, far away from where he got stabbed, but he said he’s worried for others who live in Cape Coral.

“I feel like he’s gonna do it again eventually. For sure, he did it once he’s gonna do it again,” said Lopez.