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Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen about losing an arm in an accident
Def Leppard’s drummer Rick Allen refused to live after losing an arm in a tragic car accident.
“I really didn’t want to be here and felt very defeated,” Allen, 59, only says on page Six, adding that he felt “very awkward” and “embarrassed”.
In December 1984, the then 21-year-old musician lost his left arm after an almost fatal accident in England. Allen, who was trying to overtake another car at high speed, lost control of his Corvette and was thrown through his car’s sunroof. His arm was caught by his belt and cut from his body.
Doctors initially reattached the limb, but it was later removed due to infection.
The England-born rocker who is currently touring with his wife, singer Lauren Monroe, has managed to rebuild his life and career using a specially designed electronic drum kit.
“Lots of my peers, lots of fans, my family… lots of encouragement, they all tried to help me get up, and then I finally got it,” she explains. “I got to the point where I realized I could do this … It’s only after I discovered the power of the human spirit and that really got me to where I am now.”
Allen and Monroe are also the founders of the company Raven Drum Foundationwho helps veterans dealing with PTSD through alternative medical programs, including drum wheels.
He says he has been an eyewitness to the benefits that drumming brings to vets.
“The first thing we all hear is our mother’s heartbeat, so we’re rhythmic beings, it’s just a very ancient form that immediately connects to healing,” Allen tells us. “It helps the brain, it helps the nervous system, and it slows down the respiratory system, which is something that is beneficial on many levels.”
Monroe and Allen will be starring in The City Winery on Wednesday, November 9
The organization also launches online charity event on Veteran’s Day.