Two Men Share Bond Over Drums, Traumatic Experiences

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- We all face challenges in life. Some are greater than others. Two drummers who found themselves in a similar position feel it is how we get through them, and the people that help pull us through that define who we become.

The two men share a bond beyond the music and to the core of what's inside.

"I started playing the drums around age 13," Adolf Radeljic said.

The instrument immediately became Radeljic's world. It gave him confidence, and then a career.

"I was in a KISS tribute band. That was it after that, a family affair. They all wanted to go to my gigs," Radeljic said.

He passed his passion onto his son. Then two years ago during his day job in construction, everything changed.

"Elevator shaft. I fell 10 feet. You just can't imagine how your life changes," Radeljic said.

His wife, Donna, was by his side in the hospital.

"The first thing he said with tears streaming down his face, and he said, 'Oh my gosh, I'm never going to play my drums again,'" Donna Radeljic said.

And he worried he'd never play again with his son. Radeljic was paralyzed. He fell into a dark place, until the New Yorker met Minnesotan Jason Gerling. Gerling lost his ability to drum 20 years ago.

"The car flipped over five or seven times, drums flew all over everywhere," Gerling said.

He was determined to not let his disability stop him from playing again.

"When you only have two arms and no feet, you're limited," Gerling said.

He adapted a traditional drum set. Gerling modified the bass drum, which is typically played with your feet, to be triggered by a pad that is hit with a drumstick.

"I was out to figure out a way to complete a drum fill. The only thing that's different is I'm using triggers. Triggers do one thing, they trigger whatever you want. In my case I'm triggering a bass drum," Gerling said.

Minneapolis-based Risen Drums signed on to make custom drums for sale, to anyone. And Gerling was there every step of the way to make sure Radeljic's bass drum was just the way he imagined it.

"The whole point is to encourage people and to help people. I know personally how painful it can be when you have your passion taken away from you, but when I got my passion back, I thought there have to be other people out there like this who are hurting," Gerling said.

"He leveled the playing field for not just disabled drummers or disabled people for that matter. Anyone now can play a drum set," Radeljic said.

Radeljic is the first person to buy and play the adapted bass drum. The two men found common ground, a way to move past their hurt and frustration, and onto the next phase of their lives.

"I'm celebrating Adolph and I'm celebrating his return to the drums. Seeing him being lifted out of that despair that makes it all worth it," Gerling said.

"Wait 'til they get a load of me. And I'm going to do it with my 15-year-old kid," Radeljic said.

The day the two met was the first time Radeljic had played the drums in two years. Since returning to New York, he has played with his son, and said it's everything he imagined and more.