Chester Bennington given name Charles
Early life
Chester Charles Bennington was born in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 20, 1976, the son of a mother who worked as a nurse and a father who investigated child sexual abuse cases as a police detective. He took an interest in music at a young age, citing the bands Depeche Mode and Stone Temple Pilots as his earliest inspirations. He dreamed of becoming a member of Stone Temple Pilots, which he would later achieve when he became their lead singer for a time. When he was seven years old, he was the victim of sexual abuse by someone he described as an older male friend. He was afraid to ask for help because he did not want people to think he was gay or a liar, and the abuse continued until he was 13 years old. Years later, he revealed the abuser to his father, but chose not to press charges.Bennington's parents divorced when he was 11 years old. The abuse and his situation at home affected him so much that he felt the urge to "kill everybody and run away". To comfort himself, he drew pictures and wrote poetry and songs. After the divorce, his father gained custody of him. Bennington started abusing alcohol, marijuana, opium, cocaine, meth, and LSD. He was bullied in high school, stating in an interview that he was "knocked around like a rag doll at school, for being skinny and looking different". In 1993, at the age of 17, Bennington moved in with his mother. He was banned from leaving the house for a time when she discovered his drug abuse. He worked at a local Burger King before starting his career as a professional musician.
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