Dear Chester,

Days after your apparent suicide, the music world is still in shock and mourning. No one wants to believe someone like you, who had a huge impact on anyone he came in contact with, is gone. I still do not want to believe you are gone... So Chester, I want you to know the impact you had on me.

I have been a fan of Linkin Park since I first heard their album Hybrid Theory, since then I found myself within their music. When I first heard Linkin Park, that is when my love for alternative rock, grunge, and metal music began. My love for this music began when I was entering middle school, perfect timing for what was up ahead in my life.

My middle school years were probably some of the worst years of my life. I was bullied at school, almost every day for being overweight and dressing differently. I was not raised to be a quitter so I turned to music to help me during these hard times. The first band to ever help me through these times was Linkin Park.

When I first heard Chester's voice on "One Step Closer", I felt understood, I felt like someone else knew how I was feeling at school everyday. From that moment on, I listened to Linkin Park every single day for the next several years. I was with the band through every album they put out, and with every album I felt closer to Chester.

Granted, later in my high school years I started to get into more heavy music so I did not listen to Linkin Park as much anymore, I still considered myself a fan. As a fan, as someone who believed in Chester, my heart ripped apart that dreadful Thursday.

On July 20, 2017, the music world, and Linkin Park fans everywhere took a huge loss. You decided to take your own life and leave us behind. I cannot blame you Chester, after all you have been through in your life but you left us. You left your family, your friends, and the people that believed in you. You were, and still are so loved and so cherished. I wish you knew the impact you had on others. I wish you knew the impact you had on me.

As I sit here typing this thank you and goodbye letter, I hope you know the impact you have left on this world. I wish I was not writing this, I wish this was all a dream, but you will live on forever. You will live on in the music industry, and you will live on through your loved ones and your beloved fans. We will not let you die, Chester.

As you said in "One More Light",

"Who cares if one more light goes out? Well I do."

Thank you Chester, for giving me hope. Goodbye my dude, I hope you found your peace.

Love,

A fan you impacted deeply.