A True Hero

This guy I'm hugging is an absolute hero! Why? How? Who is he?

This is Matthew Leone, the bassist of Madina Lake a Chicago based band.

He risked his life to save a women from being beaten by her violent husband out in the streets of Chicago. Even though the guy was twice his size, Matthew intervened. He managed to subdue the guy for a second, and since his wife was beat up pretty good, Matthew called the cops. As he did so, the guy jumped him from behind and beat him. Afterward, he and his beaten wife left Matthew unconscious on the street.

He sustained severe injury's to his head. Matthew was in the hospital with a third of his skull removed as his twin brother Nathan and two band mates and friends Dan Torelli and Mateo Camargo waited for the swelling in his brain to go down.

The next picture shows the injury's he sustained, he was in and out of consciousness and as he slowly recovered he couldn't remember who people were at times...

The assault happened June 30th 2010 by September 2010 after months of recovering he picked up a bass for the first time.

It took him a year to get back on his feet and start playing again. The band recorded they're 3rd studio album World War 3 after they're EP The Dresden Codex which was released before the assault happened.

The wife of the man that beat her, dropped the charges against her husband and did not thank Matthew for his courage. He went into Cardiac Arrest at least 3 times when he was admitted to surgery. He nearly died. He had no insurance at the time so hospital bills were almost $500,000! Matthew had to work really hard with the band and the help of us fans to raise the money to pay for it. They never asked fans for the money, they fund-raised with charity auctions and a charity gig.

Matthew came back on tour with the rest of the guy's from Madina Lake in November 2011 where I got the chance to see him back doing what he loves! I met him after the show and told him he was a true hero and he always will be!

Before I go here's a lyrics video to Madina Lake's song 'We Got This' this song is about the assault that happened that night. Matthew Leone you will always be a hero in my eyes!