Chester Bennington's ex-wife, Samantha Bennington, released her inaugural book, "Falling Love Notes: Memories From A Rock Star Wife", last month through Around The Way Publishing. The book offers readers a refreshingly candid perspective into the personality of a woman who doesn't know the word "no." This brave missive, written by the first wife of the late LINKIN PARK singer, takes readers into Samantha's quest for personal and professional actualization and the many fantastic adventures contained therein.
"I began this project of my memories around eight to nine years ago," Bennington told Billboard. "I had planned for 'Falling Love Notes' to be released in the fall of 2017. Unfortunately, our lives changed dramatically that June. I could not give my project the attention it would take to launch or deserved, as our son, family, and I needed to grieve and work on major healing. Honestly, my project took a major back seat to my life at that time. Now that my ending has changed and I continue to heal. I found a huge amount of purpose and needed to finish what I had started."
Beginning with life-changing events from early childhood, carrying us through joy and pain of significant events before, during and after her marriage to Chester, and bringing us to her present-day life as a mother, life coach and entertainment entrepreneur, "Falling Love Notes" is the story of a fierce emotional journey. Strength and survival manifested through love and gratitude are the central themes of this raw, heart-wrenching and inspirational book as we learn of the many loves and losses of Samantha's life, perhaps most profoundly, the untimely death of her late ex-husband and best friend.
Part autobiography, part conversation, throughout her story, Samantha speaks candidly about the paths she has chosen to be her true self. From her rebellious punk rock teens, early financial independence and eventual quest to answer questions about her unknown past, we learn of the fierce determination contained inside this inquisitive, independent thinker. As she shares of the financial sacrifices and emotional strength required to support the dreams of a loved one, we feel compassion for, and belief in, her dedication to her family.
Finally, Samantha speaks of the unusual combination of heartbreak and rational thinking surrounding the decision to end a marriage, we can identify with the bittersweet memories of love and loss. As the writer speaks of the work, she and her late husband performed to co-parent their child while remaining close after their divorce, it is made clear to us that Samantha Bennington is, first and foremost, a profoundly committed mother. Throughout her story we are continuously reminded of this, a mother's dedication to love, protect and nurture. In the most recent chapter of her life, as a certified theta healer and life coach, we catch glimpses of how her work, throughout the many seasons of her life, has continued along this path.
Samantha and Chester's son, Draven, was born on April 19, 2002.
Chester married Talinda Bennington shortly after his divorce from Samantha, and had three children with her.
It was revealed in October 2017 that Chester left his entire estate to his widow and his six children.
The LINKIN PARK singer, who tragically took his own life in July 2017, left his retirement account to Talinda Bennington and divided the remaining assets among his six kids through the Chester And Talinda Bennington Family Trust. The trust was created in 2007 and amended in 2009, according to the will documents obtained by TMZ.
TMZ previously reported that Chester requested his children to visit each other after his death, even dedicating a fund for them to use for trips.
Chester committed suicide at the age of 41. He was buried in a private service nine days later.
Samantha reportedly made a public post on Facebook in August 2017, claiming that she and Draven were not allowed to speak at Chester's funeral, that the service itself resembled a radio festival and that there had been a "lack of respect and honesty" on the part of Talinda. Samantha also claimed that Chester's parents were not at the funeral and not mentioned in the program, which she said looked like a "cheap happy-hour menu."
