This photo of a smiling and seemingly happy Chester Bennington was taken just days prior to his passing. On July 20, 2017, Bennington was found dead at his home in California, having committed suicide by hanging. Bennington had always been open about his struggles with addiction and depression, but those close to him were shocked by his suicide. The day after Cornell's memorial, Bennington tweeted that he was "feeling very creative" and had written six new songs. Around the same time, he told a friend, Rene Mata, "We have to stick together, and we have so much to live for." Bennington was just 41 years old at the time of his death.