Allen wasn't quick to give up, though, and told journalist Carol Ruth Weber in an interview that people's support healed him in more ways than one.
"...the outpouring from my family, guys in the band, and literally people from all over the planet, gave me a new lease on life. I understood the meaning of how strong the human spirit is," Allen said.
Allen was released from the hospital only a month after the accident and went straight to the drum kit to figure out how he could play again. He told Weber that people were always asking if he would relearn to play the drums, but replied that he already knew how.
"People wanted to know if I needed to learn how to play drums again. I said no because it was already in me. My body naturally compensated for the loss," Allen said.
He added that he had to shift his thought process to stop comparing his life to what it used to be and embrace his new uniqueness. With the help of a customized drum kit that allowed Allen to play the snare drum with his foot instead of his arms, he was back on stage for the first time since his accident at the "Monsters of Rock" festival in England in 1986. The customized drum kit weighs a lot more than a regular drum kit since it gets bolted down to each stage he plays on, according to an interview with Howard Stern.
To this day, Allen still plays with Def Leppard, touring all over the world with his custom drum kit playing the drums his own way, a testament to both rock 'n roll and the human spirit.
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