Travis Barker, the renowned drummer, has announced a new documentary titled 'Louder Than Fear,' which will delve into his survival of a catastrophic airplane crash in 2008 that claimed four lives and left him with severe burns. The documentary is set to premiere on Hulu this summer.
Announcement at Hulu's Get Real Event
Barker, 50, revealed the project at Hulu's Get Real event, expressing his excitement. 'I'm really stoked to announce my new documentary, Louder Than Fear. It's coming out this summer on Hulu,' he said, as reported by Us Weekly. 'It's an unfiltered look at my journey after a life-changing experience and also spotlights the amazing people I have in my life who carried me through it. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to document it and be able to share it with all of you.'
He added, 'This documentary started over 10 years ago and it's been a wild, wild ride, and I can't wait to share it with the world.'
The 2008 Plane Crash
The tragic event occurred on September 19, 2008, when Barker boarded a private jet in South Carolina to return to Los Angeles after a show. He was accompanied by his friend Adam 'DJ AM' Goldstein, security guard Charles 'Che' Still, and assistant Chris Baker. During takeoff, a tire blew out, causing the plane to overshoot the runway, crash through the airport fence, cross a nearby highway, and come to rest on an embankment.
Pilot Sarah Lemmon and co-pilot James Bland died within minutes from smoke inhalation and burns as the plane erupted into flames. Still and Baker also perished on impact. Barker and Goldstein managed to escape through an emergency exit over the wing, but both were engulfed in flames as they slid down the wing, covered in burning jet fuel.
Barker's Injuries and Recovery
Barker sustained third-degree burns over 65 percent of his body, requiring three months of hospitalization, multiple skin grafts, and 26 surgeries. A year later, Goldstein died from a prescription drug overdose. In a May 2021 interview with Men's Health, Barker credited the crash with motivating him to quit abusing prescription drugs. 'People are always like, 'Did you go to rehab?' 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.'
Overcoming Fear of Flying
The crash left Barker with a debilitating fear of flying. He described being 'haunted' by the experience, saying, '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.' However, with the support of his wife Kourtney Kardashian, he overcame this fear. In August 2021, he flew to Cabo San Lucas for the first time since the crash. 'I think the power of love really helped me. Kourt made it so I fly, my kids fly now. She healed us,' he told the LA Times in 2023.
Barker acknowledged the ongoing struggle, stating, 'It takes a little piece of my life every time I fly. 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.'
