Travis Barker recently accompanied his girlfriend, Kourtney Kardashian, on Kylie Jenner‘s private jet to Cabo, Mexico. This action comes almost 13 years after the Blink-182 band member survived a plane crash in 2008.
Per TMZ, until now, Barker had avoided flying for more than a decade because he could not bear to relive the traumatic moments that he went through in 2008. On the recent trip to Mexico, the news outlet reported that the couple was joined by Kourtney’s mother, Kris Jenner and her boyfriend, Corey Gamble.
It’s unclear how Barker withstood the pressures and anxiety that came with flying after such a long time, but it’s clear that he had Kourtney by his side the whole time, who no doubt supported him and helped him take this big step in his life.
The pair have been dating for a few months, and a few weeks ago, there were speculations on social media, that Kourtney is pregnant for the drummer. However, these rumors have not been addressed by either party, but fans are keeping their fingers crossed for now.
Travis Barker Conquers Flying Phobia
In May 2021, Barker opened up about the deadly plane crash that claimed the lives of four people including the pilots, a security guard, Charles Still, and Barker’s assistant, Chris Baker.
The drummer revealed that he and his friend, Adam Goldstein, popularly known as DJ AM were the only survivors on the plane that took off from South Carolina, and were headed to California.
According to him, the team had just finished playing at a show in South Carolina and boarded the plane to return. Unfortunately, during take-off, the tires of the plane blew off, leading to a ghastly crash. Although Barker and DJ AM survived the experience, Barker suffered third-degree burns.
The American musician revealed that the burns took over about 65 percent of his entire body including some parts of his torso.
Travis Barker’s Later Experiences
While speaking with Men’s Health in the same month, Barker explained that he suffered post-traumatic and stress disorder after the crash, which ultimately resulted in his decision never to fly again, until he met Kourtney.
The musician mentioned that during the few weeks after the plane crash, he could barely sleep a wink, and even when he came home from the hospital, he had to undergo series of therapy to be able to function properly in the society.
“I was dark… I couldn’t walk down the street. if I saw a plane in the sky, i was determined it was going to crash and I just didn’t want to see it,” he said.
Furthermore, Barker disclosed that although it took time, he started feeling like himself again. He noted that as the years went by, things became easier for him, and there were times that the thoughts never crossed his mind. In essence, the musician said that it took time, but he eventually became healed.
Kourtney’s Support
A source disclosed to People Magazine that flying for the first time in 13 years was a big deal for Barker, as he has been through a difficult phase in life, and it took a lot for him to decide to fly again.
Also in June 2021, Barker openly wrote on social media that he might ‘fly again.’ After this announcement, fans flooded the comment section of his post to congratulate him on taking such a brave step, as well as thank him for being an inspiration to all plane crash survivors around the globe.
Similarly, fans praised Kourtney for sticking it out with Barker and helping him through this major first step. Despite the fact that the news of their relationship attracted mixed reactions from fans, they thanked the mother-of-three for her firm support.
Now that the couple went on a double date vacation to Cabo, Mexico, it’s certain that they have put their past behind, and are looking to future possibilities.
The Tattoo Man
On social media, social media users often refer to Barker as ‘the tattoo man’ due to the numerous tattoos covering his body. However, the drummer decided to put so much ink on his body to cover the visible places that were burned after the crash.
He explained that the inspiration for the tattoos came after a fan once took an unauthorized photo of him, that vividly showed his burn scars. He also mentioned that this caused other fans to notice his scars, and that made him uncomfortable.
The musician revealed that he has 107 tattoos in total, and they cover his neck, chest, lower body, back, arm, and so on. He also shared that every tattoo had a meaning attached to it. Recently, Barker dedicated a new ink to his girlfriend, Kourtney.
He revealed with a photo on Instagram that he tattooed the media personality’s name across his chest. In return, Kourtney inked ‘I love you’ on the drummer’s hand, adding to his list of tattoos.