Eugene somehow survived the onset of the outbreak, and eventually came across Abraham Ford, who saved him from walkers. Seeing the opportunity of being protected, he lied to Abraham, pretending he was a scientist who knows what caused the epidemic, and that he was on a mission to go to the capital, where supposedly he could reverse the effects of the plague and restore order to the world. Eventually, they were joined by Rosita Espinosa and several other survivors, who traveled from Houston to Northern Georgia, losing several members on the way.