What Chester Bennington's Family Is Doing Now
In 2017, Linkin Park fans were devastated to receive news of Chester Bennington's tragic and unexpected death. On July 20, the venerate frontman was found dead in his Los Angeles home after an apparent suicide (via TMZ). In 2019, thousands of devout fans took to Twitter on the anniversary of his death to post photographs, personal stories of concerts/interactions, and heartfelt confessions of how Bennington impacted their lives (per CNN).
Nearly five years later, his family reflects on the man with whom they shared a cherished relationship built on unrequited love, support, and sincere appreciation for one another. He is survived by his wife, Talinda Bennington, and their three children, Tyler, Lily, and Lila. He also fathered three other children from previous relationships: Jaime, Isaiah, and Draven Sebastian. Following her husband's untimely death, Talinda shared (per E! News): "You always had a way to make us all laugh. You always made everything better."
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Ex-wife Samantha Marie Olit and children
After parting ways with girlfriend Elka Brand, Chester Bennington married Samantha Marie Olit in 1996 (via Heavy). In April of 2002, they welcomed a son, Draven Sebastian Bennington, but they filed for divorce three years later (via iHeart).
Following Bennington's funeral service, Samantha Marie Olit declared publicly on Facebook that she was "disgusted" by the proceedings (per Fox News). She shared that she and her son were never afforded the chance to speak at the service and that the entirety of Bennington's life was reduced to just 12 years. In the lengthy Facebook post, she exclaimed, "Never mentioning a man who grew up from a little boy and loved many things, becoming a rock star was just one thing," among other grievances (per Fox News).
Nonetheless, Olit remains amicable with Bennington's former spouses and reportedly carries on a happy life as a musician and a life coach (via Samantha Bennington). Elsewhere, Draven Sebastian appeared in a self-produced suicide prevention video commemorating his father in 2017 at the age of 15 (per People).
Marriage to Talinda Ann Bennington and children
Talinda Ann Bennington (formerly Talinda Ann Bently) is a former model who famously featured in Playboy's College Girl section in the early 2000s. She also graduated from the Los Angeles Music Academy in 1995. Talinda met Chester Bennington through a mutual friend, musician Ryan Shuck, in 2004, and they married the following year shortly after his split with Samantha Marie Olit (via the Daily Mirror).
The couple had three children together: Tyler Lee and twins Lily and Lila. "I'm so glad that the kids and I have vast amounts of pictures and videos to remember you by," Talinda shared following her husband's death (per E! Online). "We miss you every second of every day." In March of 2021, on what would have been her husband's 45th birthday, Talinda Bennington posted a heartfelt video on her Instagram page of the late singer dancing alongside his son Tyler (via Entertainment Tonight).
Talinda Ann Bennington's subsequent marriage and divorce
In January of 2020, Talinda Ann Bennington married Los Angeles firefighter Michael Friedman. "I am here to tell you that you can find love after tragedy," she wrote in a 2019 Instagram post announcing the engagement (per E! Online). "That a death of a soulmate does not mean the death of you. My family, friends and my Linkin Park brothers welcome him to the family with open arms. I will continue to honor Chester and continue my life's mission to make his passing not in vain." However, the companionship was short-lived, and the couple filed for divorce a year later.
In his will, Chester Bennington's only request for his children was that they see each other on a "regular and ongoing basis" (via New York Daily News). Nearly five years after his suicide, his family, friends, and former bandmates continue to honor his momentous life that ended far too soon.