Community Corner

One-Handed Pianist Makes a Lifetime of Music in Chicago After Hatchet Attack

In 1948, Norman Malone's right hand was rendered almost useless when his father beat him with a hatchet.

CHICAGO, IL — In 1948, Norman Malone nearly lost his life at the hands of his own father. Decades later, he’s opening up about how he turned a nightmare into a rewarding career in music. He plays the piano and some of the world’s most beautiful music exclusively with his left hand.

He became a music teacher at Lincoln Park High School, and to this day is a mentor to musicians and former students.

Almost seven decades later, Malone still gets emotional thinking about the day he and his brothers were attacked by their father. And he still undergoes physical therapy.

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A special concert in his honor is scheduled for June 10, 2016, at Lincoln Park High School.

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