Today, I was supposed to post something about my favorite TV shows. But this morning, I changed my mind because on July 20, at 9am, Chester Bennington from Linkin Park was discovered dead in his home. He had committed suicide on what would have been Chris Connell 53rd birthday.

Growing up with the Seattle invasion, I knew Soundgarden very well. Mind you, I was more of a Pearl Jam and Nirvana fan but still. You couldn’t listen to these two groups without knowing Soundgarden.

As for Linkin Park, in the Spring of 2001, I walked into the Montreal HMV. Over the PA system, they were playing the Linkin Park album which had come out about 6 months earlier. I bought it then and there, no questions asked. I was with my friend Patrick at the time. He thought I was crazy. Little did he know that this band would become so big, cross generations (yeah, Mix in Tampa used to play some of their songs so parents that cared nothing for alternative rock actually knew them) and fill out stadium.

Why do I talk about this? Both of these brilliant men died from suicide. They leave behind families and friends, and countless fans who mourn them every day and will for a very long time to come. They have extinguished their own light in an act of desperation from which there is no return.

It is sad enough when people die for health issues but these two men made the choice of leaving this life. I realize they may not have seen any other choice at the time, but it was a choice nevertheless. If you are suffering from depression, and you are thinking about suicide, first know that you are not alone. Second, please seek help. There is not a life in this world that is not worth living. Everybody brings something to the table, and you are needed, and loved.

If you are on the brinks, take off the phone and dial 1-800-273-8255 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Line. There is no shame in seeking help. There is no shame in keeping on living.