Chester Bennington’s wife, Talinda, has issued her first statement since the Linkin Park singer took his life.
Chester’s death sent shockwaves through the music industry, with fans, critics and his contemporaries all rushing to pay tribute to the star.
In the heartbreaking statement, which has been issued to Rolling Stone, Talinda - Chester’s wife of 11 years and the mother of three of his children - praises her husband for being “a bright, loving soul with an angel’s voice”.
Speaking candidly about how Chester’s death has affected her, she says: “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.
“How do I move on? How do I pick up my shattered soul? The only answer I know is to raise our babies with every ounce of love I have left.”
Talinda also thanks Chester’s many fans for their support, adding: “I want to let my community and the fans worldwide know that we feel your love. We feel your loss as well.
“My babies are so young to have lost their daddy. And I know that all of you will help keep his memory alive.”
“He was a bright, loving soul with an angel’s voice,” she says of Chester. “And now he is pain-free singing his songs in all of our hearts. 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.”
Talinda’s statement comes just a few days after one from Chester’s Linkin Park bandmates, who said: “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.”
