Bill McDermott, CEO of German enterprise software giant SAP SE, has lost an eye after falling onto a glass tumbler in a freak accident that almost claimed his life, it’s been revealed.

The accident happened last July, but the story has only emerged this week. According to reports, McDermott’s extremely unfortunate mishap occurred as he was walking down the stairs in the middle of the night while carrying a glass of water. McDermott, who was staying at his brother’s U.S. home at the time, stumbled and somehow contrived to fall face first onto the glass tumbler, smashing his eyesocket and slashing his face. His injuries were so horrific that he almost bled to death, the reports say.

Despite their best efforts, doctors were unable to save McDermott’s left eye, Germany’s WirtschaftsWoche reported. Nevertheless, McDermott, minus one eye, is expected to make a full recovery and will return to Germany next month to reassume control of the company he temporarily vacated.

“I’m still alive, and that’s not a given after such a bad accident,” a surprisingly cheerful McDermott told Sueddeutsche Zeitung. “This can happen to anyone. It’s important to stand up after you’ve fallen down.”

SAP SE boss Bill McDermott before the accident

McDermott has since taken to Facebook to reveal the full story of his unfortunate accident:

“Today, news about my recent accident made a few headlines. Many of you have reached out to me with well wishes, as well as some questions as to what happened, so I wanted to share a few facts and thoughts.

In early July, I was visiting my father on his 76th birthday. Unfortunately during my stay, I slipped and fell while holding a glass of water, and the injuries caused by falling on the broken glass were significant. I suffered facial fractures, severe lacerations, and extensive damage to my eye.

After returning home from extensive surgery and a week’s worth of recovery time in the hospital, I had numerous additional procedures to repair the facial injuries and multiple surgeries to attempt to regain sight in my eye. Unfortunately, despite doing everything possible, the eye could not be saved and was removed earlier this week. After a 6 – 8 week healing period, I will be fitted with a prosthetic eye. Although this was not the outcome I had hoped for, I feel grateful, optimistic and hopeful.

I feel grateful because I’ve lost people I love, and know that losing an eye is in no way comparable to losing a piece of your heart. I am more grateful than ever for my family, who have been by my side these past weeks–and throughout my life. I am also grateful to the hardworking, committed women and men I have met during these past weeks of surgeries and recovery. Without their talent, I wouldn’t have come this far.

I feel optimistic because that’s who I am. I learned this from my mother, whose indomitable spirit I inherited, and which has always helped me push through challenges. Just as every life experience has made me wiser and stronger, I know this one will, too.

Finally, I feel hopeful in part because of something a friend reminded me: true insight doesn’t come from what we see, but from what we know and feel. I have lost an eye, not my curiosity or my compassion. I am no less capable of leading SAP, or any less committed to the audacious goals we’ve set for the company. Thanks to my family, my friends, and my colleagues, my spirits are higher than ever.

Work has always energized me, and today, I’m more driven than ever to fulfill my duties and promises as SAP’s CEO. I’ve been talking with Hasso Plattner and SAP’s leaders, my colleagues, our partners and customers for weeks, and now that the doctors say I can fly I’m heading to the airport in early October to see my second family, in Germany.

This is an important time for SAP, a company made up of thousands of talented, hard-working people that deserve the spotlight much more than I do. So, enough said. Thank you for your friendship and support. Now, it’s time for me to get back to work.”

SAP chairman and cofounder Hasso Plattner was so concerned at the time of the accident that he drew up emergency plans to replace McDermott in the event that he wouldn’t be able to return to work. But luckily for him, “Bill is on the mend and, from October, can fly again,” the chairman said in an interview.

McDermott was appointed CEO of SAP in 2014, having worked at the company since 2002.

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