Linkin Park Shares Open Letter on Facebook Following Chester Bennington's Death

On Monday, four days after news broke that Chester Bennington died by suicide, Bennington’s Linkin Park bandmates posted an open letter to Facebook sharing their grief and memories of the singer.

“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 post starts.

Many musicians have shared similar messages since Bennington’s passing. However, this is the first official statement from Bennington’s bandmates.

Talking with you about the years ahead together, your excitement was infectious. 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. 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. You had the biggest heart, and managed to wear it on your sleeve.

This is not the band’s first post since Bennington’s death. On Saturday, the band shared a link to a newly created website featuring Bennington’s name which lists resources for those who may need support.

In less than an hour, the band’s open letter had been shared more than 50,000 times with more than 11 thousand people adding their memories of Bennington and his music.

You can read the full letter below: 

If you or someone you know needs help, visit our suicide prevention resources page.

If you need support right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or text “HOME” to 741-741. Head here for a list of crisis centers around the world.