Chris Cornell’s brother has paid tribute to the late star in an emotional open letter.
The 52-year-old Soundgarden frontman died by suicide in his Detroit hotel room last month at the age of 52 and his sibling Peter admitted he can’t let go.
He wrote: "It’s been difficult to put words together. My heart is broken. Chris was always just my brother. We just ‘were’. No pretense. No dog and pony show. We didn’t have to get deep all the time. Sometimes we only needed to just be in the same room and just be present. That was enough.
"I will never wrap my head around his passing. I’ve been in shock since I heard the news. I can’t and won’t let him go. Please know, with all the humility I can muster from the depths of a pulverized heart, I THANK EACH OF YOU for your kindness and condolences. THANK YOU for finding me through YOUR tears."
Peter also spoke of the impact Chris has had on his fans and he praised his "power, anger and passion".
He wrote: "It wasn’t until this week, it really hit me how he belonged to the world. That he is an icon and a legend. That being said, I am so sorry to YOU for your loss. Artists, actors, musicians. We rely on these people to lift us up. To inspire us and distract us in times of trouble. Chris protected us when we needed him to. His one of a kind-ness surrounded us like a suit of armor. He was a warrior and a wizard. A howling wolf and a trusted mentor.
"My brother gave freely of his gifts and it was never a struggle. He kept himself from the saturation of celebrity in such a humble way. The power and anger and passion of my brother’s music was always genuine, original and legitimate. He was the powerful, sensitive, fragile, angry, mystical creature that will exist forever in his body of work. And he did it for ALL of us. Giving it away. Leaving all on the stage or in the recordings that will keep him immortal (sic)."
Chris Cornell’s brother pens emotional tribute
