Otep Shamaya has recorded a heartfelt video paying tribute to Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington. Along with sharing some memories of Bennington showing kindness to her in the early stage of her career, Otep urges fans to reach out for help if they’re struggling with depression or other mental illnesses.

Tributes have been pouring in since Chester Bennington took his own life yesterday (July 20). Many fans and musicians have taken the time to reflect on Bennington’s life and music, with Otep offering her own words through an 11-minute YouTube video.

“I met Chester on Ozzfest,” Otep begins. “[Linkin Park] were already a huge band and we were nobody. They were so kind to us and so supportive, they would come hang at our bus and tell us what a good job we had done. Back then, we were so new and we probably sounded terrible, but he was just supportive. He and that whole band were like, ‘Just keep going, just keep doing your thing.’ It’s just such a shock.”

Otep continues, “He was a good friend and he was a good ally and he had this smile that was infectious and his energy was good. He’s just a good guy. It’s just sad that this monster, whatever it is — if it’s depression — that took him from us.”

"Depression is evil, it cares not who you are or what you do or if you have a family or friends that love you or fans that support you through all the hard times,” Otep adds. “Depression doesn’t allow you to ‘tough it out.’ It steals away the thing that makes you want to fight.”

Watch Otep Shamaya’s full video above and see other tributes to Bennington here.

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