The Text That Reconnected Blink-182’s Hoppus With DeLonge

Mark Hoppus has revealed that a text exchanged between he and Tom DeLonge was to credit for reigniting their friendship and ultimately setting the stage for DeLonge’s Blink-182 reunion.

While appearing on iHeart Radio’s Elvis Duran Show, Hoppus recounted how the two musicians reconnected after years of not speaking. As it turns out, it was DeLonge who initiated the conversation unaware that he was about to learn of Hoppus’ cancer diagnosis.

The Text That Brought Mark Hoppus + Tom DeLonge Back Together

Within the chat, Hoppus discussed the on and off again nature of his friendship with DeLonge, including the reveal of what got them back speaking again after DeLonge’s last split from the band.

Hoppus recalled to Duran, “It was four years ago when Tom texted me out of the blue and says, ‘Hey, I’m directing this new video from Angels & Airwaves’ and he sent me a photo of him at a music video shoot that he was directing and of course it’s him in front of a bunch of models in their underwear.”

“And I replied, ‘Ha, Ha, that’s awesome man. Hey by the way I have cancer and I start chemotherapy,’” he then added.

“That was the first real text exchange I’d had with Tom in a number of years and immediately the phone rings and I pick up and it’s Tom and I say hello and he says (in serious voice) ‘How are you?’ So the past four years disappeared and it was just back to square one, back to friends.”

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Hoppus confessed to Duran, “There were several times when I thought I’m not gonna talk with Tom again.”

“When Tom left the band the first time, we didn’t speak for five years. Same thing the second time. So there were numbers of years where I just wouldn’t even talk with Tom and there was so much acrimony on both sides,” he added.

“But the cool thing is when we got back together both times, the first time was after Travis [Barker] had his plane crash and the second time was after I was sick with cancer, he calls up and it’s like none of the bad things even happened at all. We snap back into best friend mode and that’s how Tom has been.”

Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus Guests on The Elvis Duran Show

Blink-182 in 2025

Blink-182 just announced a 20-date U.S. tour dubbed the Missionary Impossible tour. The trek follows their past support of the 2023 One More Time album. The run includes several festival appearances along with shows that will be supported by Alkaline Trio. Alkaline Trio features Matt Skiba, who played live and recorded with Blink-182 after Tom DeLonge’s previous exit from the band.

Dates begin Aug. 28 in Hollywood, Fla., with shows booked through Oct. 4 in Palm Desert, Calif. Tickets for the run go on sale this Friday.