Travis Barker is opening up about some of the hardest moments of his life in his new documentary. The drummer of the band Blink-182 speaks about their addiction, their recovery, and how a plane crash in 2008 changed his life.
He also speaks about his marriages, his family, and his relationship with Kourtney Kardashian.
Travis Barker reflects on his drug addiction, sobriety and recovery in his new documentary
Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear follows the musician through his life and recovery. The documentary tells about his childhood, success, and struggles throughout the years. Barker also talks about his first marriage to Melissa Kennedy, which lasted from 2001 to 2002.
“I was touring with Blink-182 nonstop,” he recalls, adding, “It was tough. Especially since I was married at the time.” He later married Shanna Moakler, and they were together from 2004 to 2008.
His drug use increased after he was prescribed pills to help with his fear of flying, says Barker. He used to take one or two pills before flying, but his consumption of them quickly increased. “It went from taking painkillers before we go on a flight to actually having to be on them, or I couldn’t even function,” he says.
Moakler says he used to take 20 to 30 pills a day during his peak addiction. Along with that, Barker describes himself as a “functioning addict” while looking back on his battle with drugs, according to US Magazine.
Barker also remembers the 2008 plane crash that killed four of the six on board. He and his friend Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein survived the crash, but Barker suffered severe injuries. “I tried to make my way in front, but the lower parts of my arms caught fire,” Barker says. He adds, “Then my whole body caught on fire,” as he describes escaping the burning plane.
He says third-degree burns covered 65% of his body, and he needed 27 surgeries. Travis had to learn to walk after being in the hospital for three months. The drummer says the crash also affected his mental health and recovery. He remembers that he felt suicidal during his time in the hospital, saying, “I was suicidal when I was in the hospital.” He also suffered from trauma and was afraid of being separated from his children.
Kourtney Kardashian, who Barker wed in 2021, is also part of the documentary. Kardashian discusses their pregnancy loss and says, “When we lost the baby, we were devastated. We cried for days.” The couple went through five IVF attempts in eight months. Later, the couple welcomed their son, Rocky, in November 2023. Barker’s children also discuss how his fears after the crash affected their feelings about flying.
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