Scott Sheridan had his nose and earlobe bitten off and his eyes severely gouged in a psychotic attack by a friend.
But the 30-year-old says he bears no animosity because to do so would just be a burden on his life.
Mr Sheridan was attacked in 2012 by Trevor Hugh Giles, 43, a schizophrenic who was found not guilty of causing serious harm because of mental incompetence.
Giles was released on licence by the District Court in Adelaide on Monday but will continue to be under supervision for the next five years.
He is expected to be held in what was described as a half-way house linked to a secure mental health facility.
Outside the court Mr Sheridan described the attack on him as heinous.
"I was cannibalised. I had my earlobe bitten off and swallowed by another human being," he said.
"You couldn't come closer to death than I did."
But Mr Sheridan said he held no animosity towards Giles and was ready to get on with the rest of his life.
"Today is the first day of recovery for me," he said.
"It's taken a lot of guts to be here today and it's finally my day in the sun.
"What we can take out of this is that if you look deep down inside yourself you can actually be surprised at what you can overcome."
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