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 Travis Barker has finally granted his first post-crash interview, in which he says he's "thankful to be alive" after last month's plane crash in Columbia, South Carolina, that killed four people and seriously injured him and DJ AM.
In the new issue of Us Weekly, the famous drummer opens up about the accident, and gives everyone an update on his condition.
"I hate planes," he tells the mag. "My biggest fear ever is to be involved in a plane crash, so when that happened ... well, I'm just thankful to be alive! I'm just grateful to be here at all." Barker got choked up a bit, while explained, the mag said.
He was released from a hospital in Georgia last week and returned to Los Angeles via bus with his father and his ex-wife, Shanna Moakler. Just days before, DJ AM had been released from the hospital and is currently recovering at home.
The crash killed Barker's long time assistant, Chris Baker, and his bodyguard, Charles Still, as well as the plane's two crew members.
Although he's back in Los Angeles, Barker is still undergoing treatment. He's currently at the Grossman Burn Center, where he is receiving treatment for second- and third-degree burns.
When asked how he's doing, he responded, "I am doing the best I can possibly be. I'm so anxious to get out of here. I was in Georgia at the hospital over there and was scared to death to even get on an airplane again, so I had Shanna and my father come out and meet me and we took a bus back to L.A. I've just been in surgery after surgery. I have third-degree burns basically from my feet up to my waist and both hands. One of my hands has second-degree burns and one has third-degree burns."
Barker also revealed that as a part of his recovery, he had to change his eating habits. He was a vegetarian, but with his protein level being so low, he had to eat meat, and he says he did because he's wants to get better.
"Because I was a vegetarian, for my first three surgeries, it was hard to get any of my grafts to take to my real skin," he said. "I have such low levels of protein. I need protein from food rather than just protein supplements. I changed my diet. I would do anything I possibly could [to get better]. They said, 'There's a possibility you might heal faster if you do eat meat or just change your eating habits.' So I did. I don't regret it at all, because I feel so much better!"
Once he recovers, Barker says he'll get right back to work. He told the mag that he's anxious to express his feelings about losing one of his best friends -- Chris "Lil Chris" Baker -- and get back "into the swing of things."
"I'm trying to have a quick recovery and play the drums again and be able to hold my kids again," he added.
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