Chester Bennington’s final interview reveals hope amid deep depression

Chester Bennington’s final interview reveals hope amid deep depression
Chester Bennington of Linkin Park performs on May 19, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for CBS Radio Inc.)
NTD Television
7/21/2017
Updated:
7/21/2017

A last interview with the late Linkin Park frontman, Chester Bennington reveals a sturdy yet struggling soul. He alluded to both his pains and triumphs. “I wanted to have good relationships. I wanted to love the people in my life. I wanted to enjoy my job. I wanted to enjoy being a dad and having friends and just getting up in the morning. Because that was a struggle for me.”

Whether fans were aware of it or not, before the last album came out, “One More Light,” Bennington was extremely low. According to an interview obtained by the Mirror, Bennington described it as the “darkest time.”

But “One More Light” is as significant as its title. Bennington felt the album was like group therapy for Linkin Park. “Instinctively I want to make the river flow where I want it to flow and I want to make the water be calm when I want it to be calm. It takes a lot of patience to just let things happen as they’re happening and just ride it out,” said Bennington.

But with the death of Chris Cornell in May, another period of darkness soon took hold of the singer. He had a hard time just getting through tribute songs.

Friends believe Bennington committed suicide because he never recovered. Bennington committed suicide in the same way, by hanging. He also killed himself on Cornell’s 53rd birthday. He was 12 years younger than Cornell. Cornell was the lead vocalist of Soundgarden and Audioslave, and had a decent catalog of solo work. Bennington and Cornell could be seen performing together at times.

In other parts of the interview Bennington revealed he was going through serious depression, but that he was attending therapy, too, and that it was helping. He also shared how having his family, his children, and his bandmates around helped a lot. “For me it took a lot of work. It actually took me opening up and talking to my friends about it and writing about it, and like going to therapy and battling my demons,” said Bennington.

Bennington was 41 years old and is survived by his wife and six children, three from previous relationships.

From NTD Television