Miami , Florida ( CNN ) -- Romel Joseph calls it his second life . `` When I came here , I said I was 99.9 percent dead , and I am leaving here 85 percent alive , '' he said . The blind violinist who was trapped for 18 hours after Haiti 's earthquake in January was released from a Miami , Florida , hospital over the weekend after what doctors say is an amazing recovery . The powerful January 12 quake leveled his five-story music school in Port-au-Prince , and he was pinned beneath the debris . His friends were able to remove him from the rubble of the New Victorian School , and he was airlifted out of Port-au-Prince by the American Embassy to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami . Joseph suffered severe injuries , including a fractured hand and two crushed legs . To get through the painful ordeal , Joseph prayed and let his mind drift to thoughts of every concerto he had ever played . `` I did n't think I would be alive ... I thought my time was up , '' Joseph said . `` But my time is not up yet , so God will provide and show me how to fulfill my dream . '' Joseph plans to return to Haiti at the end of the month to start rebuilding the New Victorian School , where he is the director . He hopes to have a makeshift structure up within two weeks so children can begin attending the dual purpose music and academic school by mid-April . The temporary structure is estimated to cost $ 35,000 . It will take another two to three years to build a permanent school , one that Joseph said will be earthquake-proof . During Joseph 's last physical therapy session , the Juilliard-trained violinist played classical numbers and hymns as part of his treatment . To the delight of patients around him , Joseph stuck chord after chord on the violin stretching and strengthening his hand that was badly fractured . `` I could n't put my fingers on the strings at first and gradually I was able to play little one or two notes and now I can play , not great but it 's a blessing , '' Joseph said modestly . Doctors had initially feared that he might never play violin again . The violin was n't the only instrument helping Joseph repair his shattered hand during the 18 hours of physical therapy he received each week . A keyboard donated by musician Steve Wonder has helped Joseph regain the strength in his fingers . Wonder , who is also blind , had heard Joseph 's story on CNN and said he was moved to act . `` What better way to express God 's love than to give something that is special to you to someone else who is in need , '' Wonder said . `` So that 's why I did what I did . '' Joseph hopes to return playing professionally by October , when he would like to have a debut concert with Wonder . `` I would like to play with him and thank him in person for helping in my recovery . ''
Blind violinist Romel Joseph released from hospital . He suffered a fractured hand and crushed legs in Haiti 's January earthquake . Stevie Wonder donated keyboard to help him practice while wearing cast . Comment: