Travis Barker Opens Up About Wanting To Fly Again For 1st Time In 13 Years

Travis Barker has recounted his near-fatal plane crash hundreds of times over the course of 13 years. But the blink-182 drummer has opened up more about the lifelong effects of the crash and the ways he's been getting through it. 

In a new interview with Men's Health, Barker explained that he quit abusing prescription drugs after surviving the 2008 crash; which killed four people and left him having to relearn how to walk and play drums.

“People are always like, ‘Did you go to rehab?’” Barker said. “And I [say], ‘No, I was in a plane crash.’ That was my rehab. Lose three of your friends and almost die? That was my wake-up call. If I wasn’t in a crash, I would have probably never quit.”

Over a decade since the crash, Barker said he is still suffering from PTSD and has yet to get on another plane since that day — opting for driving, buses, and ships to go abroad.

In the interview, Barker revealed that he does want to be able to step foot on a plane again and is taking steps to overcome his fear and PTSD. “I want to make the choice to try and overcome it,” he said.

 He also revealed that simply coming home to his kids after a safe flight is his "perfect day."

 “If I do it [fly], and the angels above help me in my travels and keep me safe, I would like to come back and [tell them], ‘Hey, I just flew here, and then I flew home. And everything was fine.’ I have to tell them because I almost left them,” he said.

You can read his whole interview here.

If you or someone you know is suffering from PTSD, call the free and confidential PTSD Hotline at 1-888-993-3112.

Photo: Getty Images