
A letter to Chester Bennington
Dear Chester,
When I was being bullied, when I struggled adjusting to my new school, when I wasn’t coping with home life after my parents divorced, when I couldn’t find the words to talk about any of these things, I turned to you. Your music pulled me through my teenage years.
I wrote and re-wrote your lyrics on notebooks, pinned posters of you to my wall, projected your words on my MSN Messenger status and listened to your songs obsessively, over and over again.
My first email address was chester904@hotmail.com.
You helped me, inspired me, expressed what I couldn’t express myself, and you did the same for so many others across the world. We depended on you. You made us feel less alone, less weird. We shared our dark and troubling feelings with you, and you helped us feel more secure.
I no longer furiously scribble your words or see your face in my bedroom, but I do still pound Hybrid Theory and Meteora into my ears, nod my head along to the beat, sing along with you and feel my body respond to the melody.
It makes me so, so sad that you felt your life was no longer worth living. We didn’t and couldn’t help you in the way you helped us. We can’t wish you were here because you didn’t want to be here anymore.
But we can try harder to be there for others who are suffering; to listen, to talk, to share. I try to be a good friend to the people I love but there’s no doubt I could do better. You’ve reminded me of that.
I’d like to thank you for being there for me and getting me through some difficult years.
I hope you are resting in peace.
With love,
Roz
