Jared Leto Pens Tribute to ‘Absolute Legend’ Chester Bennington

Following the tragic death of Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, actor and 30 Seconds to Mars vocalist Jared Leto has penned a beautiful tribute to the fallen rock star.

Along with a photo of Bennington, Leto wrote, “When I think of Chester I remember his smile… His laughter, intelligence, kindness and talent. That absolutely unforgettable voice that was at once – delicate, ferocious and always full of emotion.”

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He continued, “Witnessing his life taught me a lot. Especially about commitment, about kindness, about hard work, about the pursuit and achievement of dreams and mostly, about love. I know that both his family and his band were a massive source of inspiration and pride for him.

Finally, he said, “It was clear to me that he was deeply grateful for both the people that surrounded him and the life that he had. My heart goes out to his family, friends, band and fans. A tragic loss of an absolute legend. We will miss you.”

Leto’s message is a far-cry for the one written about Bennington from Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch.

Welch took to Facebook after Bennington’s suicide to write, “Honestly, Chester’s an old friend who we’ve hung with many times, and I have friends who are extremely close to him, but this is truly pissing me off! How can these guys send this message to their kids and fans?!”

“I’m sick of this suicide s–t! I’ve battled depression/mental illness, and I’m trying to be sympathetic, but it’s hard when you’re pissed! Enough is enough! Giving up on your kids, fans, and life is the cowardly way out!!!” his message continued.

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He finished, writing, “I’m sorry, I know meds and/or alcohol may have been involved, I’m just processing like all of us and I know we are all having some of the same thoughts/feelings.”

Many people did not take kindly to his seemingly harsh tone, as one commenter wrote, “I have lost whatever respect I had for you,” and another said, “Calling it ‘cowardly’ shows a lack of empathy, understanding and love.”

Eventually, Welch half-backtracked on his statement and posted a separate message, saying, “I didn’t mean to sound insensitive about Chester. Just dealing with a range of emotions today. Love you Chester. I’m pissed that you did this, but I know this could have been me back in the day after getting wasted one night.”

Photo Credit: Twitter / @etnow