How Def Leppard’s Rick Allen Inspires Comeback To Lift Others

An Inspiring Story

Rick Allen’s story is one of resilience and perseverance.

On December 31, 1984, he was trying to pass another car when he lost control of his Corvette C4. He hit a dry stonewall and lost his left arm. Doctors initially tried to reattach his arm but they later had to amputate it because of infection. Def Leppard took a hiatus, and Allen had to re-learn how to play the drums with one arm. He began using a custom-manufactured drum kit.

Even though it has been almost four decades, the accident still feels raw to Allen.

In a new interview with ABC News, he once again shared his inspiring story.

“In many ways, I think it enabled me to grow in so many ways,” Allen said. “It became a blessing, a responsibility, a responsibility to, you know, to other people. To myself… I think that has become a huge gift.”

“I nearly lost this one as well,” he said about his right arm, which became a recurring theme in his artwork. “So, for me, it’s just a reminder of everything that I went through and everything that I put this poor old hand through on a daily basis.”

Listen to the rest of the interview below.