READ: Linkin Park Releases Letter to Chester Bennington

Getty Chester Bennington of Linkin Park performs on stage at the iHeartRadio Album Release Party presented by State Farm at the iHeartRadio Theater Los Angeles on May 22, 2017.

The band Linkin Park has released a heartbreaking letter to Chester Bennington just days after his suicide in Los Angeles. “Dear Chester,” it reads.

The anguished letter expresses love for the band’s frontman and pain over his tragic death at age 41. “We’re trying to remind ourselves that the demons who took you away from us were always part of the deal,” it says.

The Linkin Park letter was somewhat reminiscent of the letter that Bennington himself wrote to Chris Cornell, after the Soundgarden singer died by suicide in May. Bennington died by suicide on July 20, Cornell’s birthday. He left behind his wife, Talinda, and six children.

The band members had been relatively silent on the death until now, although band member Mike Shinoda did release a brief tweet that confirmed the news of Bennington’s suicide previously and said that he was heartbroken.

GettyChester Bennington of Linkin Park at Bridgestone Arena on January 17, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Here’s the full text of Linkin Park’s letter to Chester:

Dear Chester,

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.
You touched so many lives, maybe even more than you realized. In the past few days, we’ve seen an outpouring of love and support, both public and private, from around the world. Talinda and the family appreciate it, and want the world to know that you were the best husband, son, and father; the family will never be whole without you.

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.

Our love for making and performing music is inextinguishable. While we don’t know what path our future may take, we know that each of our lives was made better by you. Thank you for that gift. We love you, and miss you so much.

Until we see you again,
LP

Here’s another look at the letter: