Linkin Park addresses Chester Bennington's death with a heartbreaking message
Since learning of Linkin Park's frontman Chester Bennington's tragic death by suicide last Thursday, there has been an outpouring of love from fans and band members on social media.
On Monday, Linkin Park addressed Bennington's death publicly, writing him a heartfelt letter shared with fans on the band's official Facebook page:
"Our hearts are broken. The shockwaves of grief and denial are still sweeping through our family as we come to grips with what has happened," the bandmates began, going on to describe the positive and powerful impact Bennington had on this world, which was further exemplified by the massive amounts of support they'd received.
They also passed along a message from Bennington's family members, explaining that Bennington's wife, Talinda, wants the world to know that he was "the best husband, son, and father."
"Your absence leaves a void that can never be filled — a boisterous, funny, ambitious, creative, kind, generous voice in the room is missing. We’re trying to remind ourselves that the demons who took you away from us were always part of the deal," the band wrote.
"After all, it was the way you sang about those demons that made everyone fall in love with you in the first place. You fearlessly put them on display, and in doing so, brought us together and taught us to be more human."
At the end of the letter, the band linked to a website dedicated to Bennington. The site, chester.linkinpark.com includes an image of the frontman followed by suicide-prevention resources and a feed of social-media posts using the hashtag #RIPBennington.
Crisis Text Line, one of the leading free mental health support services, told Mashable that in the 24 hours following reports of Bennington's death, talk of suicide, family, and relationships increased 1.5 times. The organization also observed 600 mentions of Chester Bennington and Linkin Park, accounting for 22 percent of conversations on the text line — which shows just how important it is that the band members are sharing helpful resources with their fans.
If you want to talk to someone or are experiencing suicidal thoughts, text the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Here is a list of international resources.
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Nicole is a Senior Editor at Mashable. She primarily covers entertainment and digital culture trends, and in her free time she can be found watching TV, sending voice notes, or going viral on Twitter for admiring knitwear. You can follow her on Twitter @nicolemichele5.
