CHESTER BENNINGTON's Wife Releases Statement: 'One Week Ago, I Lost My Soulmate'

Talinda Bennington, the widow of LINKIN PARK singer Chester Bennington, has released a statement, eight days after she lost her husband to suicide.

"One week ago, I lost my soulmate and my children lost their hero-their Daddy," she wrote. "We had a fairytale life and now it has turned into some sick Shakespearean tragedy. How do I move on? How do I pick up my shattered soul? The only answer I know is to raise our babies with every ounce of love I have left.

"I want to let my community and the fans worldwide know that we feel your love. We feel your loss as well."

She continued: "My babies are so young to have lost their daddy. And I know that all of you will help keep his memory alive. He was a bright, loving soul with an angel's voice. And now he is pain-free, singing his songs in all of our hearts.

"May God Bless us all and help us turn to one another when we are in pain. Chester would've wanted us to do so.

"Rest in peace, my love."

Bennington was found dead in his home in Palos Verdes by one of his employees shortly before 9:00 a.m. on July 20. A Los Angeles County coroner confirmed that the cause of death was "suicide by hanging."

Chester married Talinda shortly after his divorce from his first wife, Samantha Marie Olit. In a 2009 interview with Bullz-Eye, Bennington discussed how Talinda helped him overcome his depression at the time.

"My divorce was one of the worst and best things to ever happen to me in my life," he said. "Everything I had worked so hard for was gone after we were through. Everything! I was wiped out and it was tough on my ego to let go of all of that. I went from living in a huge house to a tiny apartment in Santa Monica. I was so drained and bitter during that time. But I eventually learned from it and moved on," he added, "I then fell in love again and I got help facing my demons… When I met Talinda, I knew she was the one pretty instantly. She moved into my place after a week and a half or something like that."

The couple had three children together, Tyler Lee, 11, and Lila and Lilly, both of whom are 6.

Bennington bought the home just two months before he committed suicide there. The singer paid $2.4 million for the five-bedroom, four-bathroom resident in June and moved into the two-story, 3,956-square-foot house about seven weeks ago.

LINKIN PARK has canceled plans for a North American tour, with the future of the group unclear at this point.