Who is Travis Barker's mother? Blink-182 drummer credits late mom Gloria for his success
Travis Barker tied the knot with Kourtney Kardashian on Sunday, May 15. The musician rose to fame as the drummer of the popular rock outfit Blink-182 and credits his success to his late mother Gloria Barker, whom he reportedly lost when he was just 11 years old.
Kourtney, 43, and Travis, 46, got married in Santa Barbara, California, in a private ceremony before flying to Italy to host a lavish wedding celebration in the historic Castello Brown in Portofino. The pair shared a glimpse of their nuptials on Instagram, writing "Till death do us part" alongside a series of black and white images of the happily married couple. In another photo, the two kissed in their car, which had a "Just Married" sign on the back.
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Behind his rocker image in the public, Barker is a doting family man who braved many struggles growing up. The biggest tragedy was the loss of his beloved mother, who was a rock for him and always supported his dreams.
Who is Gloria Barker?
Gloria Barker is the late mother of musician and songwriter Travis Barker, popularly known as the drummer of the punk rock band Blink-182. She worked as a babysitter while her husband Randy Barker was a mechanic, and the duo had three children -- two daughters and a son. Travis is the youngest in the family, and his mother was his biggest supporter. She was diagnosed with Sjogren Syndrome and died at a young age when Travis was just 11 years old.
The drummer said his mother was endearingly called "Cookie", a fitting nickname based on his descriptions of her in his 2015 memoir 'Can I Say: Living Large, Cheating Death, and Drums, Drums, Drums'. Travis wrote, "My mom was very loving, and she was there for me all the time." He said that she wasn't a strict disciplinarian but she never let her son fall back on his schoolwork and ensured he remained "sharp" intellectually.
According to celebrity journalist Nicki Swift, young Travis' passion for the drums was a top priority in the Barker household. In his memoir, the Blink-182 member reminisced how his mother wholeheartedly believed he would someday become a "rock star". Tragically, Gloria Barker did not live to see the day. Travis, however, told Vice that her death only inspired him to do better. "From the moment after my mom passed away, I really followed the last words she told me. 'Play the drums and don't care about anything else in life but doing the things you love.' I almost felt like she was orchestrating things upstairs," he told the magazine.
Gloria is always in her son's thoughts and prayers. One tattoo on the back of Travis's neck reads "Mom", and the musician also had his mother's portrait tattooed in 2013. He has paid tribute to his mother several times on social media. In a post in 2014, the musician wrote, "Happy Mother's Day to the most amazing woman/Mom ever ... she passed away ... have thought about her and missed her every day since."
The following year, Travis posted a photo commemorating his mother's birthday. "This is the only pic I have of my Mom & Dad being goofy," he wrote in the caption. "Today's my Mom's Birthday. Lost her when I was 11. Not a day goes by I don't miss her, she was the best Mom I could ask for. I know she's with me everywhere I go and I hope she's proud. Lucky to still have my Pops. #RestInPeace #ImJustGettinStarted #MissYou #Cookie."