Drummer Travis Barker has opened up about the harrowing experience of surviving a 2008 plane crash that killed four people, including two close friends, detailing his severe injuries and suicidal thoughts in a new documentary, "Louder Than Fear."
The Learjet 60 carrying Barker and several associates blew out a tire and burst into flames on September 19, 2008, crashing through a fence at a South Carolina airport and careening across a highway before exploding. The pilots and Barker's personal assistant, Chris Baker, and bodyguard Che Still, died in the incident. The only other survivor, DJ AM (Adam Goldstein), died of a drug overdose in August 2009.
Barker sustained third-degree burns on 65% of his body, broke all his ribs, and fractured his back in four places. He spent months in a burn center undergoing 27 surgeries and described being suicidal in the hospital, at one point begging friends to end his life. "I couldn't see my kids because 65 percent of my body was an open wound," Barker recalled in the documentary. "I was handling that miserably."
He also shared a premonition before boarding the flight, telling his father to ensure everything was in order with his children if something were to happen. Barker, who was a nervous flier, said he had taken drugs and alcohol before takeoff and had nearly fallen asleep. He was seated by the emergency exit when the plane experienced severe turbulence, described as "loud, gunshot-like noises," as the landing gear blew out and the plane skidded along the ground, catching fire.
Barker recounted escaping the burning jet through the emergency exit, only for his body to catch fire as he landed in jet fuel. He remembered running while engulfed in flames until DJ AM helped pat out the fire. Minutes later, the plane exploded.
Following the crash, Barker vowed never to fly again. He was shocked when DJ AM, despite minor burns, was able to fly weeks later. Barker expressed survivor's guilt and struggled to relate to others after DJ AM's death, finding solace in his children, Landon, Alabama, and stepdaughter Atiana. He credits them with keeping him grounded and helping him flush his painkillers, determined not to fail them.
The documentary also touches on Barker's complex relationship with his father, Randy, and the loss of his mother, Gloria, when he was 13, which led him to question his Catholic faith. His mother's final advice was for him to focus on his drumming, a pursuit that became his therapy. "Drums were my therapy. The last thing my mum said to me was 'just focus on your music, become a drummer,'" he stated.
Barker's relationship with his wife, Kourtney Kardashian, is also explored. They discovered early in their romance that Kardashian was pregnant, but tragically lost their baby at a three-month scan. They later welcomed son Rocky in 2023 after undergoing IVF. Barker discussed their decision to share their story of miscarriages and IVF, believing it could help others who have experienced similar journeys.
The documentary, filmed over nine years, chronicles Barker's life before and after the crash, culminating in his return to flying. He now flies frequently, finding peace by observing his wife's calm demeanor and his son's innocent enjoyment of airplanes.