Chester Bennington’s widow Talinda celebrates what would have been his 46th birthday

Talinda Bennington, the widow of late Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, took to Instagram Sunday with an emotional message commemorating what would have been the musical artist’s 46th birthday on Sunday.

‘Happy Birthday my love! We miss you so much,’ Talinda, 45, said of her late spouse, who died via suicide at 41 on July 20, 2017. ‘The pain doesn’t get any easier but you get used to it is what they say. I’m not sure I believe that at all. There’s no getting used to this type of grief.’

She continued: ‘I’m doing my best to raise our babies the way we always talked about. You were my other half and it is so hard walking without you. I love you and we are celebrating you today.’

Talinda accompanied the post with a picture of the late singer smiling while holding a bag that read ‘Happy Birthday.’

Chester was parents to three children with Talinda, son Tyler Lee, 16, and twin daughters Lily and Lila, 10, as well as three sons from prior relationships – Jaime, 25, Isaiah, 24, and Draven, 19.

In the wake of Chester’s tragic passing, Talinda created the mental health nonprofit 320 Changes Direction ‘for friends and family members who are seeking answers to questions about mental health, mental illness and addiction – so that they can support the people in their lives who are suffering emotionally.’

Talinda spoke about her late spouse in a May 2019 edition of the ABC News podcast, Life After Suicide, saying that she believed the singer was in ‘good place’ in his battle with depression and addiction.

In the wake of Chester’s tragic passing, Talinda created the mental health nonprofit 320 Changes Direction to help family and friends to support their loved ones ‘who are suffering emotionally.’ She was snapped in 2018 in LA 

Talinda and Chester were snapped at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas 

‘We just thought he was okay,’ Talinda said. ‘I can’t emphasize enough. If you knew Chester, you would know that he was in a good place, in such a good place.’

She said she found comfort talking with fans of her late spouse who ‘were reaching out, saying how sad they were and how they didn’t think they could go on because Chester couldn’t.’

She added, ‘I knew that that’s the last thing Chester would’ve wanted.’

Bennington and Linkin Park achieved huge commercial and critical success with hits such as One Step Closer, In the End and Crawling, the latter of which earned the band a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2002. The band would go on to capture another Grammy in 2006 for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for Numb/Encore, a collaboration with Jay-Z.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text ‘STRENGTH’ to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.