Linkin Park have penned a letter to Chester Bennington who tragically died last week describing him as a "boisterous, funny, ambitious, creative, kind, generous voice".
41-year-old Bennington, who was the lead singer of the hugely popular rock band, was found dead at 9.00am on Thursday July 20 at his residence in Palos Verdes Estates in the suburbs of Los Angeles.
In their first official statement since his passing his bandmates reveal their "grief and denial" and describe Bennington as "the best husband, son, and father".
In a post on their official website Linkin Park wrote:
"Dear Chester,
"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.
"Until we see you again, LP."
Hailing from Phoenix, Arizona, Bennington rose to fame with Linkin Park after they enjoyed massive success with their huge selling debut album, 2000's Hybrid Theory, which showcased their mixing of metal and rap.
The band have released six subsequent studio albums, including their latest, One More Light, which they brought out in May. Their hits include Faint, In the End and Crawling.
Linkin Park, who made their Irish debut supporting Metallica in Dublin in 2003, were due to begin the US leg of their world tour next week.
Bennington, who had spoken over the years of his struggles with depression and alcohol, was a close friend of Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell, who died in tragic circumstances in May.
If you have been affected by issues raised in this story, please visit samaritans.org, contact the 24-hour helpline on 116123 or email: jo@samaritans.org.
