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Add the andPOP Facebook Application(andPOP) - Travis Barker has spoken out for the first time about last month's plane crash that injured the former Blink-182 drummer and his friend DJ AM and killed four others.
In an interview with Us Weekly, Barker said he is "just grateful to be here at all" after suffering severe burns in the accident.
"I hate planes," Barker said. "My biggest fear ever is to be involved in a plane crash, so when that happened ... well, I'm just thankful to be alive!"
The musician and celebrity disc jockey DJ AM (real name Adam Goldstein) were on a small plane that crashed on takeoff Sept. 19 at the main airport in Columbia, S.C.
The other four members of the aircraft -- two pilots and Barker's assistant, Chris Baker, and bodyguard, Charles Still -- were killed.
Barker was recently released from the hospital and is now being treated at a burn centre in Los Angeles.
"I am doing the best I can possibly be," he told the magazine. "I'm so anxious to get out of here. ... 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."
The drummer said he was looking forward to getting back to work and his family. "I'm trying to have a quick recovery and play the drums again and be able to hold my kids again," he said.
Meanwhile, friends of Goldstein, who was also recently released from the hospital, are putting on a benefit concert in California Tuesday in the DJ's honour.
Mark Ronson, Cut Chemist and other acts will perform at the event, with all proceeds going to memorial funds for the crash victims.
Doctors have said they expect full recoveries from Barker and Goldstein.
