Travis Barker is opening up about how powerful Kourtney Kardashian’s support has been.
In a new interview with the Los Angeles Times published on Sunday, the Blink-182 drummer, 47, spoke candidly about how his wife, 44, has helped him to be able to fly for the first time since surviving a plane crash in 2008.
“I think the power of love really helped me,” he told the LA Times. “Kourt made it so I fly, my kids fly now. She healed us.”
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The rock star explained that in the past it was too painful for both himself and his family to get on an airplane. He told the outlet that he thought, “There’s no way I’m ever gonna fly again,” after accompanying his daughter Alabama (whom he shares with ex Shanna Moakler) on an aviation field trip and seeing her run off a plane they toured crying.
Now, the record producer says he has several rituals to help make flying more bearable, including calling his father, Kardashian and his children. (Barker shares Alabama, 17, and Landon, 20, with Moakler, and raised his stepdaughter Atiana De La Hoya, 24.) He also prays for those he’s lost, listens to guided recordings and puts on noise-canceling headphones during takeoff.
“It takes a little piece of my life every time I fly,” Barker, who is still adjusting to traveling for pleasure, said.
He continued, “The amount of stress and anxiety it causes is just unbearable. It brings up all this old trauma, and sometimes I’m like, ‘Is this worth it?’ But I don’t like anything having a hold on me, either — I don’t like being afraid, and I don’t like having things from my past control my future.”
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Barker flew with the Kardashians star in August 2021 for the first time since the 2008 plane crash that left 65% of his body covered in third-degree burns and four other passengers dead. The couple — who tied the knot in April 2022 and are currently expecting their first child together — traveled to Cabo San Lucas.
“It’s a huge deal that Travis flew to Cabo. The plane crash many years ago was extremely traumatizing. He has needed a lot of help to get to this point,” a source told PEOPLE at the time. “Kourtney has been very supportive. She never pushed for him to fly. They have managed to travel in the US without having to fly and Kourtney has been totally fine with it.”
When the Blink-182 member reached the milestone of flying 30 times since the crash this July, he shared online how inspiring his wife has been. “Just flew for the 30th time since my plane crash,” the rocker wrote in a post to Threads. “Wouldn’t be able to tour or enjoy life again the way I do without the healing love of my amazing wife. I love you @kourtneykardash.”
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Barker has also recently opened up about how Blink-182’s reunion and new album One More Time was prompted by the trio coming together after experiencing tragedies, including his plane crash and band member Mark Hoppus’ lymphoma diagnosis in 2021.
The hitmaker said in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, “On the album, ‘One More Time’ is kind of written about, ‘Why does it take these catastrophes or me being in a plane crash or Mark being sick for us to get back together?’”
He added, “I just think having that weight off my heart and feeling closer to these guys really makes me able to see what this is and value it so much more and be so honestly happy for what it does for people.”