Wife Shares Photo Of Chester Bennington Days Before His Death To Send Important Message

She’s spreading awareness about the invisibililty of depression

Earlier this summer, Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington shocked the world by taking his own life. His passing left fans reeling, and a recent photo shared by his wife suggests his own family was also stunned by his death. The image is heartbreaking, but she’s sharing it along with an important message about the invisibility of depression.

Talinda Bennington tweeted a picture this morning of Chester, herself, and four of the rocker’s six children during a day at the beach. In it, he’s smiling broadly, a striking image considering he took his own life only days after the photo was taken.

The caption reads, “This was days b4 my husband took his own life. Suicidal thoughts were there, but you’d never know. #fuckdepression.”

With few words, Talinda gets across the message that her husband was able to conceal symptoms of his depression and suicidal thoughts on the outside, to the point where his death was a complete shock to those who loved him.

In interviews just months before he died, Chester was definitely sounding optimistic about the future. Earlier this year, he told Rock Sound, “Where I’m at right now in 2017 is as far on the opposite side of the scale to where I was at this time in 2015. I literally hated life and I was like, ‘I don’t want to have feelings.’ And now I’m like, ‘Bring it on!’”

That’s why Talinda’s words are so important; depression takes on many forms, and it can be difficult to tell what’s going on in someone’s head. Since his death, Talinda has filled her Twitter feed with supportive messages for those dealing with depression and mental illness, often including the hashtag #MakeChesterProud. She added thoughts below the photo of her husband about how crucial it is to talk to someone who may be having a hard time, so they don’t feel alone.

In a statement issued to Rolling Stone after his death, Talinda wrote, “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?” She said, “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.”

“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,” she wrote.

Talinda spreading awareness about depression and ways to help others is a beautiful way to honor Chester’s legacy, and hopefully help her own family begin to heal from their devastating loss.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).