BY MELISSA RUGGIERI/AJC Music Scene
The wife of Chester Bennington is speaking out eight days after the Linkin Park singer committed suicide at their California home.
Talinda Bennington released a statement to E! News that said:
"One week ago, I lost my soul mate 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. 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."
Bennington was a father to six children – three with Talinda, whom he married in 2006, and three with exes Elka Brand and Samantha Marie Olit.
Earlier this week, Bennington's Linkin Park bandmates commented publicly about their loss, posting a tribute on social media as well as the band's website that said, in part, "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."
Linkin Park, which canceled its upcoming tour following Bennington's death, also established a tribute page dedicated to suicide prevention resources.
Bennington was 41.
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