"More than a stunning debut. It is the announcement of a bold new literary voice"
—Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower

You and Linkin Park were the voice of a generation, and for a lot of us you raised us, you raised an entire generation of weirdos, outcasts, and freaks, and we are all proud to be weirdos, outcasts, and freaks. You gave me a voice when I didn’t have one, and you helped keep me alive after my sexual assault when all I wanted to do was die. All of the self-confidence I had was bullied out of me through 4 years of vicious non-stop, mean and hurtful comments, but you helped me get the self-confidence back. Thank you, Chester, for making me feel like I’m not alone. Thank you, Chester, for making me feel like I mattered, and thank you for saving me.

Thank you, Chester, I’m sorry we couldn’t be your voice and I’m sorry we couldn’t save you. Legends never die, and I’ll make sure you never do.

I never actually knew you. You died decades before I was born and really not much is known about who you were. But still I feel so immensely for you. Your books have been extremely close to my heart for years now and I cannot thank you enough for being a rock for my thirteen year old self. The way you wrote about isolation, loneliness, and loss of self ironically made me feel less alone growing up. I cannot stress enough what that means to me. I don’t really know what else to say except for “thank you”.

Sé que en ocasiones repetidas ya te he escrito carteas pero sinceramente te extraño tu nos unidos como familia nadie comprendía como podías perdonar a todo incluso después de tu muerte tú eras muy fuerte demasiado que al mismo tiempo te volviste frágil estuviste casi un año sufriendo y luchando tú te querías rendir pero nadie te lo permití…. aunque al fin y al cabo tu tenista la decisión de rendirte o no.

Sé que en ocasiones repetidas ya te he escrito carteas pero sinceramente te extraño tu nos unidos como familia nadie comprendía como podías perdonar a todo incluso después de tu muerte tú eras muy fuerte demasiado que al mismo tiempo te volviste frágil estuviste casi un año sufriendo y luchando tú te querías rendir pero nadie te lo permití…. aunque al fin y al cabo tu tenista la decisión de rendirte o no.

Sé que en ocasiones repetidas ya te he escrito carteas pero sinceramente te extraño tu nos unidos como familia nadie comprendía como podías perdonar a todo incluso después de tu muerte tú eras muy fuerte demasiado que al mismo tiempo te volviste frágil estuviste casi un año sufriendo y luchando tú te querías rendir pero nadie te lo permití…. aunque al fin y al cabo tu tenista la decisión de rendirte o no.

You’re a booty.

Hey Grandpa, how are you? It’s been months since the last time I made a letter through this website. Schools kind of cool now, I think. No more bullies, but I just wanted you to know that I think I fell in love with this guy at school. His name’s Masergs. We’ve been best friends since Grade 7 until now. And I’m afraid if I get hurt. November 28, 2016 when he confessed in front of me, and at first I thought that he’s only playing with me or just joking but it turns out I did the same. I confessed. And by that, we’re officially MU more like “mutual understanding”. I know grandpa, it’s kind of funny but you knew that mom wouldn’t let me to have a boyfriend, other than that I’ll always keep my promises. December 16,2016 it was our Christmas Party, it was totally unexpected when he grabbed my hand and dances me in the empty dance floor as I say. It’s kinda embarrassing at first cause we’re the only two who were dancing until slowly others followed. I felt so giddy at that time, and on the afternoon he asked me to go out ... Read more

Hi, baby. How are you? How are you up there? I’m sorry I didn’t know about your passing. It hurt me when I saw a bunch of people sending condolences on your facebook account. You never went online weeks before you decided to go home up there and I regret the fact that I never got to say goodbye to you. Up to this day I still think of you. You were so young. You told me about your illness and that meeting people online and using your laptop was your only hobby because your illness was in the way of doing normal things but I totally understand and accept that.

Thank you for fangirling with me. Thank you for talking to me through the internet despite of the dangers and risks of talking to someone online.

I wonder how things would have turned out if you were still alive. You’re probably around 16 or 17 by this time (as I assumed). I wonder how many more conversations and fangirling moments could we have shared with each other?

I miss you, dear. I love you. Thank you. x

You committed suicide as I was halfway through Ava’s book. It was July 20th, & it was after my dance class when I found out by an arcticle my mom shared on Facebook. I inmediately started crying, because I had literally spent my whole 15 years listening to your music, & relating to the lyrics. Adolescence is one of the toughest stages in one’s life. Your songs somehow made the weight seem lighter. & I was so mad at you, Chester. I was mad because, besides from leaving us, your fans, you left your whole family, too. You left six kids & a wife. You left your band members, your brothers.You left a whole group of young adults & teenagers who were in need of you, of your music. The morning of July 20th, you uploaded a music video to “Talking To Myself”, I remember watching it with my friends at school before class… Just to find out nine hours later you were dead. You hung yourself. I gotta be honest, Chester. Things haven’t been alright ever since you left. & it’s been two months. People start making heavy jokes on you, or telling me to get over it… But it’s hard to get ... Read more

First of all, I want to say thank you for making the music that became my voice when I can’t speak, for making life less shittier because somehow, your music helps. I wished we, the fans, could’ve done the same to you.

I had ‘Watch Linkin Park live’ in my bucket list, really. But well, the angels and God enjoyed your music to much and became selfish, taking you for themselves.

I love how you can just express when I can’t. I love how you made me continue living in little ways. I love how because of you, I received and accepted the help I needed. I love how because of you, I accepted to be me. But I hate how because of your passing, I had to skip every Linkin Park. I could listen to them again now thankfully, just this September. But of course, the ‘heavy’ feeling is still there.

Just want to let you know everyone in the world mourned for you and they woulf held a memorial concert for you. Sucks cause I can’t attend that.

Anyways, I hope you keep rocking wherever you are right now. We love you, Chester. And thank you