Rick Allen Reflects on 1984 Car Crash Decades Before Assault: 'It Prepared Me'

Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen shared his current health status and how the 1984 car crash "prepared" him decades before the recent assault he suffered from.

Allen and his bandmates were taking a smoke break outside the Four Seasons Hotel on March 13 when a man suddenly ran toward him and knocked him backward, causing him injuries.

Over two months after the incident, the drummer shared how the car crash made him ready for the 2023 attack.

Def Leppard Rick Allen Revisits Car Crash

Allen marked his first-ever interview since the incident as he sat down in "Good Morning America" on its most recent episode. The drummer recollected what happened during the March attack, saying that it occurred quickly and that he still does not know why the suspect did it.

"I heard a couple of steps, and then I just saw this dark sort of flash, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground," Allen recalled. "I landed on my backside and then continued on, hit my head on the pavement. I reached my hand up into the air as I thought I was gonna get attacked again."

The drummer told the attacker that he was no threat to him and stopped as soon as he saw that the musician only got one arm. Allen also noted how he does not think the suspect knew who he is.

The suspect, Max Edward Hartley, was arrested and charged with two counts of battery, four counts of criminal mischief and abusing an elderly or disabled adult but pleaded not guilty after he was brought to a local jail. He also bonded hours after the arrest.

Allen lost his left arm after a 1984 car accident but managed to continue playing drums with his right hand and both feet through several pedals.

Following the attack, he expressed how grateful he is to have an amazing wife and family, saying that he is lucky to still be here after the issues he went through.

Rick Allen Recovers Quickly Because of His Drum Kit

After the attack, Allen had to sit out from a number of Def Leppard shows but managed to return to the stage on May 19 to mark his first performance since the attack.

According to Allen, playing again with Def Leppard and getting back behind his kit helped him recover as he thought of the people he could make happy with his music.