A week has passed since Chester Bennington tragically took his own life.
The tragic news will still seem somewhat raw to many fans of Chester and Linkin Park, but the pain felt by them can be in no way a fraction of what Talinda Bennington, the singer's wife, is feeling.
Talinda had been married to Chester for 12 years and together they had three children. She claims they lived a 'fairytale life', and that her husband's death was a complete shock.
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"One week ago, I lost my soulmate and my children lost their hero - their Daddy. We had a fairytale life and now it has turned into some sick Shakespearean tragedy," the 40-year-old said in a statement. "How do I move on? How do I pick up my shattered soul?
Credit: PA
"The only answer I know is to raise our babies with every ounce of love I have left."
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The singer reportedly hanged himself at a private residence in Palos Verdes Estates in LA County. His body was discovered the following morning on July 20 by his housekeeper.
The singer had six children, one of which was adopted, and together Talinda believes they can 'help keep his memory alive' with the help of fans and friends.
"He was a bright, loving soul with an angel's voice. And now he is pain free, singing his songs in all of our hearts," she said. "May God bless us all and help us turn to one another when we are in pain. Chester would've wanted us to do so. Rest In Peace, my love."
After the news had settled last week, Chester's bandmates released a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook.
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They wrote how they were hit with shockwaves of grief and denial, before saying his death will leave a 'void' that can never be filled.
In the post, they praise the singer for being 'boisterous, funny, ambitious, creative, kind, generous'. They then go on to reference the 'demons' Bennington battled before his tragic death.
It ends: "We love you, and miss you so much."
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The band also included a link to a new page they have set up following Bennington's death, which aims to help people who may be struggling with mental health issues of their own.
The page, which you can find here, has links and contact numbers to suicide prevention helplines and services, as well as a running update of tributes to the star from fans across social media.
The band have set up this webpage to reach out to anyone who may be struggling. Credit: chester.linkinpark.com/
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Bennington had previously been open about his battles with his mental health and addiction. In one interview obtained by the Mirror, he talked about how writing and recording Linkin Park's recent album One More Light, their seventh since forming in 1996, helped him come out of the 'darkest time' of his life and acted as a therapy.
Tribute at Warner Bros. Credit: PA
"One More Light is for us a very personal and very therapeutic kind of record," he said.
"We got into a lot of aspects of our lives that we probably wouldn't have normally shared with anyone and just dealt with it on our own."
If you or someone you know is struggling with issues like these, don't suffer in silence. Reach out. It's the brave thing to do.
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