Rick Allen has been a member of Def Leppard for more than 35 years and is widely regarded as one of the best rock drummers of all time.
Unfortunately, he is going through a difficult time right now as a result of an unprovoked attack last week.
On March 13, an assault occurred outside the Four Seasons in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Max Hartley, a 19-year-old Ohio spring breaker, approached Allen as he smoked a cigarette. The inebriated young man hit Allen in the head and threw the legendary drummer to the ground.
Allen was injured after hitting his head on the ground, according to the police report. A brave, unnamed woman came to Allen’s aid and attempted to intervene, only for Hartley to pursue her.
The perpetrator assaulted the woman and began yanking her hair. Hartley “continued to batter her” while she was on the ground, according to police.
In an attempt to flee her assailant, the woman entered a hotel. Meanwhile, Hartley fled to a nearby parking garage, where he began damaging vehicles before being apprehended by police.
According to the 911 audio tapes, a chaotic scene unfolded in front of the hotel when Allen and the woman were attacked.
”Apparently a guest, some guy assaulted her and was actually beating her up in front of the front of our building,” one woman told a dispatcher.
Another concerned caller, who owned a nearby restaurant, also requested assistance.
”Send the police here right now!…I’m sitting on a f—–g suspect,” he said.
Many witnesses were taken aback by the attack, including fans of the legendary Rick Allen. Some worried that the good Samaritan who came to Allen’s aid was his wife, but she wasn’t.
A week after the attack, Allen released a statement giving fans an update in which he thanked everyone for the “overwhelming support”.
“Your love and prayers are truly helping. My wife Lauren was thankfully not with me at the time of the incident. We are together now, and working on recovering in a safe space,” the drummer said on Twitter.
Allen traveled to Florida last week to perform at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. In a tragic accident in 1984, the legendary performer, known for his extraordinary talent and humility, lost his left arm.
Allen, known as “The Thunder God” by his fans, continued to play drums with one arm despite having to re-teach himself.
“They wanted to re-attach it, but an infection set in, and because it was so close to my heart, they didn’t risk it. Looking back, the doctor told me that if the re-attachment had been successful, I would have been going back for operation after operation. I wouldn’t have wanted to go through that. I suffered enough pain, both physically and mentally,” Allen said in 2011.
As one might expect, Allen has been through a lot in his life, but the heinous and unprovoked attack in Florida clearly took a heavy toll on him.
”We are focusing on healing for everyone involved,” Allen said on Facebook
”We ask you to join us in our effort to move from confusion and shock to compassion and empathy. We understand this act of violence can be triggering for so many people.”
The 19-year-old Hartley was charged with four counts of criminal mischief – his lawyer told Miami Herald that his client had “never been in trouble with the law before.”
How scary and traumatic for everyone involved!
Sending prayers to Rick Allen and the woman who helped him!