Chester Bennington was the voice behind some of the most beloved alt-rock hits of the early 2000s, so it came as a shock to fans when news broke out of his death on July 20, Thursday.
The 41-year-old reportedly committed suicide by hanging. He is survived by his wife of 12 years Talinda Ann Bentley, with whom he has three kids–twin girls Lily (6) and Lila (6) and son Tyler (11). He has two kids from a previous relationship, Draven (15) and Jamie (21) and an adopted son named Isaiah (10).
His bandmate Mike Shinoda, who worked alongside him for over two decades, tweeted confirming the tragic death of his close friend, promising an official statement from the band as soon as they have one.
Just last month, Talinda paid tribute to Chester in a heartfelt Father’s day tweet.
photo: Linkin Park instagram
Fans from all over the worldwide mourned the loss of the rock icon, sharing memorable encounters with Bennington on social media.
photo: Talinda Bennington twitter page
Chester has always been open about the struggles of his life, tracing his battle with addiction to childhood abuse. In a 2011 interview with The Guardian he shared how he no longer remembers how or when it started, but the trauma of it all has followed him into adulthood. In the same year, he proudly shared with NME that he was finally sober, having won the battle against alcohol and drug addiction.
Our heartfelt sympathies go out to Chester Bennington’s family and friends.
photo: facebook
In the Philippines, an estimated 1 in 5 people suffer from mental and psychiatric disorders, the highest in Southeast Asia.
Over a period of 20 years, the suicide rates have increased, prompting lawmakers like Senator Risa Hontiveros to push for the passage of the Mental Health Law, which was approved by the Senate just last May 2017.
Still, those suffering from depression suffer the stigma of mental health as well as the challenges of finding the right resources to cope. We hope that more people reach out to those who are battling mental illness and depression and to let them know they are not alone in their fight.
READ: Talking to your kids about suicide can help save a life
sources: CNN, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Billboard.com, ABS-CBN News
