Chester Bennington: Go Inside His Funeral, Read a New Tribute

Chester Bennington was laid to rest on Saturday in Rancho Paolo Verdes, California.

According to TMZ, over 200 friends, family members and loved ones turned out to pay tribute one final time to the late Linkin Park singer, who killed himself at the age of 41 this month.

The artist’s body was found hanging in his home by a housekeeper on July 20, prior to another employee dialing 911 to alert the authorities.

There was nothing paramedics could do when they arrived on the scene, however.

All guests at the funeral this weekend were given a yellow wristband and a pass with Bennington’s photograph on it, the sort of admission item VIP fans would receive at a concert.

Austin Carlile – the ex-lead singer of the group Of Mice and Men – shared a picture of the token on Instagram.

As you can see below, the back of the guest pass featured an image of Bennington singing into a crowd that’s illuminated by the light from the cell phones of concert attendees:

“The service today was beautiful. Thank you Linkin Park, thank you Chester. For everything,” Carlile wrote as a caption to the image.

On July 24, the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Bennington died of suicide by hanging.

Since then, words of mourning and remembrance have been shared online by countless individuals in the music business.

Late last week, the singer’s grief-stricken widow released her first public statement since Bennington’s passing.

“One week ago, I lost my soulmate and my children lost their hero – their Daddy,” Talinda Bennington wrote, adding:

“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.”

She concluded as follows:

“He was a bright, loving soul with an angel’s voice.

“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.”

Bennington joined the Linkin Park in 1999 and the band went on to win two Grammy Awards, while selling over 70 million albums.

In a series of Tweets on Saturday, bass player Dave Phoenix Farrell said goodbye to his close friend.

“It goes without saying, this last week has been extremely difficult,” he wrote.

“The outpouring of love and kindness I’ve received from friends and Fans from all over the world has been incredible.

“I wish I could personally thank every one of you for your love and support…

“A huge part of Chester’s legacy will be the memories we hold of him in our hearts. He was an enthusiastic, playful father…

“An honest, and passionate musician, and a loyal friend. I’ve been touched to see memorials that have been held worldwide.”

We continue to send our own condolences to Bennington’s family during this impossibly difficult time.

May the singer rest in peace.

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Chester Bennington Laid to Rest in Private Funeral

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Chester Bennington"s Widow Releases Statement: My Life Is a Tragedy

Last week, the music world was shocked by the news that beloved Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington had passed away at the age of 41.

Shortly thereafter, investigators confirmed Bennington’s cause of death.

Perhaps mimicking the recent suicide of his friend Chris Cornell, Bennington had hung himself in his Los Angeles home, where his body was discovered by a housekeeper.

He died on what would have been Cornell’s 53rd birthday.

Hundreds of thousands have paid tribute to Bennington online, including many of the famous friends he made over the course of his 17-year music career. 

Today, the singer’s grief-stricken widow made her first public statement since Bennington’s passing.

Her words reflect not only her own heartbreak, but also the grief endured by those who knew Bennington best, including his six children.

“One week ago, I lost my soulmate and my children lost their hero – their Daddy,” Talinda Bennington wrote.

“We had a fairytale life and now it has turned into some sick Shakespearean tragedy.”

Talinda went on to say that she hopes her love for her children will sustain her through this incredibly difficult time.

She also reminded fans that their words of support are deeply appreciated.

“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 stated.

“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.”

She concluded with a tribute to her departed husband that’s sure to leave many fans in tears.

“He was a bright, loving soul with an angel’s voice,” Talida wrote.

“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.”

Bennington’s family members have stated that while they appreciate the well-wishes from fans, they plan to lay the singer to rest in a private ceremony.

Our thoughts go out to Chester’s loved ones during this difficult time.

View Slideshow: Chester Bennington: Celebrities React to Singer’s Shocking Suicide

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Linkin Park Endorses Fans" Worldwide Tribute to Chester Bennington

Chester Bennington will be celebrated far and wide by Linkin Park fans who want to pay their final respects … and the band’s completely on board. Linkin Park’s Mike Sinoda tweeted a link telling fans about a monumental effort to pay…

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Chester Bennington"s Wife Releases Heartfelt Tribute

Chester Bennington’s wife, Talinda, says her family’s life went from “fairytale” to “sick Shakespearean tragedy” since her husband’s suicide a week ago. Talinda released a statement, saying … “How do I move on? How do I pick up my shattered soul?…

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Chester Bennington"s Family Wants Private Memorial

Chester Bennington’s family wants to keep his funeral a close family and friends affair. Sources close to the late Linkin Park frontman tell TMZ … the family wants to keep the memorial intimate — and while they’re aware fans want to pay…

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Chester Bennington Investigation, No Drugs in Home at Time of Suicide

Chester Bennington’s death investigation has turned up no obvious signs of drug use … TMZ has learned. Law enforcement sources tell us investigators found no illegal drugs or prescription drugs while searching the home following Chester’s suicide.…

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Chester Bennington 911 Call: Released, Chilling

In sad, albeit expected news, the Los Angeles Country"s Coroner"s Office has come out and confirmed that Chester Bennington killed himself via hanging.

This official cause of death reflects what authorities have said they discovered at the late Linkin Park singer"s home last Thursday morning, after they responded to a 911 call and discovered Bennington"s corpse.

The artist was only 41 years old at the time of his death.

He had a history of mental illness and substance abuse, along with a past of sexual abuse as a child.

Now, just a few days after Bennington took his own life, the 911 call made on his behalf has been released to the public.

In the following video, we heard the artist"s driver speaking calmly to an operator while Bennington"s housemaid cries and screams in the background.

She"s the one who entered the singer"s home and came across his limp body.

"I just got to the location and his housekeeper came out and said he killed himself … he hung himself," says the driver.

As the driver relays more details on the phone, the housekeeper continues to be heard, crying hysterically as she speaks to Chester’s wife on a different phone.

Linkin Park released an emotional statement honoring their frontman Monday morning, writing on Facebook:

"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 can read the full statement from the band, which Bennington joined back in 1999, HERE.

Chester is survived by wife Talinda Bennington, their son Tyler and twin daughters Lilly and Lila, as well as his three children from previous relationships.

Listen to the tragic 911 call now:

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Chester Bennington Bought Family Home Just Before Suicide

Chester Bennington bought his new family home about 2 months before he hanged himself there … adding another layer of mystery to his death. The Linkin Park frontman bought the Palos Verdes Estates house for $ 2.5 million back in June. The 5…

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Chester Bennington 911 Call, Housekeeper Wailed in Agony After Finding Him Hanging

Chester Bennington’s housekeeper cried and screamed in the background as a driver for the Linkin Park frontman made the 911 call to report his suicide. Cops just released the 911 call made by the driver, who was most likely there to pick up Chester…

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Chester Bennington 911 Call, Housekeeper Wailed in Agony After Finding Him Hanging

Chester Bennington’s housekeeper cried and screamed in the background as a driver for the Linkin Park frontman made the 911 call to report his suicide. Cops just released the 911 call made by the driver, who was most likely there to pick up Chester…

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Chester Bennington: Cause of Death Confirmed

Last week, the music world was stunned by the death of Chester Bennington, the gifted singer and songwriter whose unmistakable vocals helped to make Linkin Park one of the biggest bands of the 2000s.

Sadly, the cause of the 41-year-old’s passing was immediately apparent to authorities.

And today, the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Bennington took his own life by hanging.

According to a police report, Bennington was pronounced dead at 9:08 am July 20 Palo Verdes Estates, California.

His body was discovered by a housekeeper who found the singer hanging from a bedroom door.

Though he left no note, it’s widely believed that Bennington mimicked Chris Cornell in his method of suicide.

The Soundgarden singer also took his own life by hanging recently.

The two rock stars were such close friends that Cornell’s widow asked Bennington to sing at his funeral.

It’s likely not a coincidence that Bennington killed himself on what would have been Cornell’s 53rd birthday.

Earlier today, the surviving members of Linkin Park issued a statement expressing their profound grief over Bennington’s passing.

“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,” the band wrote.

In another statement issued today, Warner Bros. Records CEO, Cameron Strang, wrote:

“Chester Bennington was an artist of extraordinary talent and charisma, and a human being with a huge heart and a caring soul.”

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his beautiful family, his band-mates and his many friends. All of us at WBR join with millions of grieving fans around the world in saying: we love you Chester and you will be forever missed.”

Strang concluded his statement by urging anyone who might be suffering from thoughts of suicide or self-harm to call .National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Tens of thousands of friends and fans have paid tribute to Bennington in the days since his death.

The beloved singer leaves behind a wife and six children.

View Slideshow: Chester Bennington: Celebrities React to Singer’s Shocking Suicide

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Jared Leto Shares Moving Tribute to Chester Bennington

You know, there’s more to Jared Leto than having a reportedly huge penis or irritating the everloving f–k out of his Suicide Squad castmates. He’s also a person who can be truly thoughtful and sensitive. He is also a musician.

While countless fans were shocked and saddened by Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington’s death by suicide, we have to remember that there were people who knew Chester as a person as well as an artist.

Jared Leto is one of those people, and he penned a beautiful tribute to Chester’s life and memory.

Sometimes it takes days, or longer, to process news of a death even enough to write down your thoughts and feelings in a way that might make sense to anyone.

(Some people never do)

We’re glad that Jared Leto collected his thoughts and expressed himself, because this is beautiful:

“When I think of Chester I remember his smile, his laughter, his intelligence, kindness, and talent.”

That’s precisely how he should be remembered.

“That absolutely unforgettable voice that was at once — delicate, ferocious and always full of emotion.”

Passion fuels art, after all.

“Witnessing his life taught me a lot. Especially about commitment, about kindness, about hard work, and the pursuit and achievement of dreams and mostly, about love.”

That’s a lot to learn from one person.

“I know that both his family and his band were a massive source of inspiration and pride for him.”

Of course they were — which made his loss that much harder for countless people.

But Jared’s focusing on the positive.

“It was clear to me that he was deeply grateful for both the people that surrounded him and the life that he had.”

It’s good that he’s giving credit to Chester’s loved ones, instead of blaming them — as some awful people do after suicides.

“My heart goes out to his family, friends, band and fans. A tragic loss of an absolute legend. We will miss you.”

We all will.

This is the photo that Jared shared of the Chester that he remembers.

It isn’t uncommon for those lost to suicide to be people associated with happiness and passion.

Depressive suicide doesn’t come with an ominous dark cloud to signify its presence to everyone.

And, in case it needs to be said, people who are suicidal don’t choose to take their own lives.

Just as they didn’t choose to be suicidal in the first place.

Just as cancer patients didn’t choose to have cancer.

It’s a terrible disease that impacts so many people.

Contrary to what some vile member of Korn said about Chester being a coward, Chester was a victim of a battle with a disease that ultimately claimed his life.

Most responses weren’t anything like that, of course.

We saw countless celebrities react to Chester Bennington’s death, but we think that Jared’s was one of the most moving.

Jared Leto’s faced some criticism recently for his antics on set.

An actress with a smaller role in Suicide Squad was creeped out by Leto’s behavior.

He also reportedly played “pranks” on more famous costars while staying in character as part of his ridiculous self-aggrandizing method acting shenanigans.

At one point, he sent Margot Robbie a box with a live rat.

(That rat has been adopted and is now in a loving home, so don’t worry)

He reportedly did not try any of that nonsense with Viola Davis

The end results were a few minutes of awkward screen time as a genuinely bad and almost universally panned version of The Joker that bore a stronger resemblance to some sort of bizarroverse Justin Bieber where he’s a criminal with his own gang who wants to impress a bunch of impressionable Myspace tweens.

(The best version of The Joker is Mark Hamill, no question — after that there’s some debate)

That’s a real shame, because Jared Leto is a good actor. If only his Joker hadn’t been such a cringeworthy Hot Topic guy, you know?

And also one of Suicide Squad‘s real strengths — aside from being better than Dawn of Justice, which can be said of most films — was that almost all of the characters were true to their comic selves.

But that wasn’t the case for The Joker.

(Or for Rick Flag but that’s another story)

It’s good to see posts like this, where Leto pours out his thoughts and expresses himself outside of the context of acting.

This, this heartfelt note, is who Jared Leto is.

Of course, Jared Leto isn’t the only one who knew him who’s spoken up.

Linkin Park shared their own tribute to Chester, 

There will be more over time.

Suicide is tragic and claims too many lives.

We hope that some good can come of Chester Bennington’s tragic death.

Maybe some people waging the same battle will reach out for help, or have loved ones reach out to them, to prevent a few more tragedies.

Every life saved is important.

View Slideshow: Chester Bennington: Celebrities React to Singer’s Shocking Suicide

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Linkin Park Pens Open Letter to Chester Bennington: Read the Tribute Here

Linkin Park has issued its first public statement since lead singer Chester Bennington committed suicide last week at his home.

As previously reported, following several years of substance abuse and depression, the 41-year old stunned the music community by hanging himself around 9 a.m. on Thursday, July 20.

The frontman for a group that sold over 70 million albums and earned two Grammy Awards, Bennington had talked openly in the past about being sexually abused as a child.

Authorities have said there were no indications at the scene that any drugs were in Bennington’s system, but we’ll need to wait for toxicology reports to be completed before we know for sure.

All we can say at the moment is that, just a couple months after Chris Cornell also hanged himself, the entertainment world has lost another widely respected musician.

On its official Facebook page this morning, Linkin Park penned an open letter to Bennington.

It begins with “Dear Chester” and then it continues as follows:

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.

The band signed the letter with “Until we see you again.”

Powerful, moving, heartbreaking stuff.

In addition to this tribute, Linkin Park has set up the website Chester.LinkinPark.com.

It simply features a photo of Bennington in concert, surrounded by the light from thousands of fans’ phones, with the hashtag #RIPCHESTER and the following message…

In case you or someone you know needs support, here are some resources:

Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK.

Crisis Text Line, the free, nationwide, 24/7 text message service for people in crisis, is here to support. For support in the United States, text HELLO to 741741 or message at facebook.com/CrisisTextLine.

For support outside the US, find resources at http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html

The website also features a section where fans can leave their own messages of grief and/or support.

View Slideshow: Chester Bennington: Celebrities React to Singer’s Shocking Suicide

We continue to mourn the death of Chester Bennington and we send his loved ones our condolences.

May the musician rest in peace.

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Chester Bennington: Slammed as "Cowardly" for Killing Himself

Late last week, in a stunning and tragic piece of news, Chester Bennington killed himself.

The Linkin Park singer was only 41 years old at the time his body was found hanging inside his home, with friends, family members and musicians all reacting with shock and sadness in light of Bennington’s death.

All except Brian Welch, that is.

The guitarist for the band Korn and a long-time acquaintance of Bennington’s, Welch took to Facebook shortly after learning of Bennington’s suicide and actually criticized the late artist.

“I’ve battled depression/mental illness,” Welch wrote. “And I’m trying to be sempethetic [sic] but it’s hard when you’re pissed! Enough is enough!

“Giving up on your kids, fans, and life is the cowardly way out!!!”

Not exactly the most understanding of reactions, was it?

Welch deleted this message after receiving a great deal of backlash against it, but nothing is ever truly deleted on the Internet, as you can see below:

Welch also tried to save face by writing the following caption to the photo above of himself and Bennington, which was snapped in February:

Horrible shocking and sad… we spent some fun hours together inside studios over the years, helping to promote your music and proudly knowing how your band helped so many get into this music in the first place.

But disgusted w how you ended it. It didn’t have to be this way.

Thoughts, prayers and positive vibes to your family, friends and fans worldwide. RIP Chester…

Moreover, Welch shared the picture below of Bennington – who some believe was prompted to kill himself in response to Chris Cornell doing the same thing – and penned as an affiliated message:

After the shock of yesterday, trying to focus on the positive memories today, like the time Chester made my daughter Jennea smile during Christmas.

Still unsatisfied with his response, Welch then recorded video in which he apologized for his initial remarks after Bennington committed suicide.

“I didn’t mean to sound insensitive about Chester. Just dealing with a range of emotions today,” Welch explained, adding in the following footage:

“Love you Chester. I’m pissed that you did this, but I know this could have been me back in the day after getting wasted one night.”

Check out the mea culpa below:

Brian Welch Apologizes for Chester Bennington Comment

Think this is enough?

Do you understand where Welch was coming from in the first place?

Or was he simply way out of line and nothing he can say at this point can make up for his inappropriate critique of someone who was clearly very troubled?

Check out various other reactions to Bennington’s passing below and then sound off with your own.

View Slideshow: Chester Bennington: Celebrities React to Singer’s Shocking Suicide

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Gavin Rossdale Reacts Onstage to Chester Bennington"s Suicide

Chester Bennington’s suicide — and also Chris Cornell’s — has Gavin Rossdale wondering about what he describes as a “bad scene” in music right now. He and his band Bush performed Thursday night in Hammond, Indiana … and addressed the…

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Chester Bennington Could Get Open Plot Beside Chris Cornell at Hollywood Forever Cemetery

Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington might get an eternal resting spot right next to his dear friend, Chris Cornell. TMZ has learned the burial plot beside Cornell at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery is available … and a source at the cemetery tells us…

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Chester Bennington"s Wife Talinda Out with Family, Mourning After His Suicide

Chester Bennington’s wife was seen out in public for the first time since her husband’s suicide, and got a comforting hug. Talinda Ann Bentley visited a local market in Palos Verdes, CA Friday with her daughter and another young girl. She was…

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TMZ Live: Linkin Park: The Tragedy of Chester Bennington

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