The Death of Chester Bennington, a Man Who Changed Countless Lives
Truth be told, this is the first celebrity death to really get to me.

Like many people in their early to mid twenties, I can vividly recall how I first heard Linkin Park. I remember being 7 years old, when my sister, being ten years my senior, used to drive me to school. I would sing along loudly in the car to whatever she played with the intention being purely to annoy her. One day she put Hybrid Theory on, and I still remember what she said; “At least you can’t sing along to this.”
It took me a week.
I loved it. I’d never heard anything like it before, and it was a musical revelation for me. It sent me into a liftime of love for both rock and rap music, and years later it’s still one of my favourite albums. Last night I listened to it on the way home from my girlfriend’s house and almost cried.
Chester’s vocals, and in particular his lyrics, resonated with an entire generation of angry and isolated teenagers in a way Nirvana had before, and The Smiths before that. A lofty comparison, I know, but to this day Hybrid Theory is still one of the biggest selling albums of the 21st century, so not as far fetched as you might think. Whilst the band’s recent output was definitely not to my taste, those first two records were incredible and helped millions of fans discover their love for music and changed their lives forever.
Throughout his time as the vocalist of the band, Chester was very open about his problems. He was a very talented man that we always knew was plagued with demons. A victim of sexual abuse. A man who struggled with drink and drugs throughout his life as a result, who admitted to being overly worried by the thoughts of others. A singer in the spotlight who was vocal about having struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts in the past, who was currently dealing with the suicide of Chris Cornell, one of his best friends. The man was an inspiration to many in how he had got through these issues and his music changed the lives of myself and many others forever.
I can never truly express how much I appreciated his work, and how much it stayed with me as I grew older and went from a sensitive child into a very angst-ridden teenager. Even now, in a happier place, I can put on those early albums and appreciate how brilliant they are.
All we can do now, as fans and as part of the music-loving community, is let people know that there is hope, and that you are there for them. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel and if you are suffering from depression, please reach out.
RIP Chester.
Suicide Hotline 1–800–273–8255 (US)
Samaritans 116 123 (UK)
For a full list of Suicide hotlines, click here
