Atomic Rule bassist Travis Bennington has shared an emotional tribute to his late bandmate Andy Williams, who passed away on September 5 following a medical emergency during a professional wrestling match.
Williams was best known in the heavy music world for his work with Every Time I Die, while wrestling fans knew him as The Butcher during his years with AEW and on the independent wrestling scene. His most recent musical project was Atomic Rule, where he and Bennington had been working on new material together.
In fact, Williams had been actively working with the band on new music in the days leading up to his passing and had shared his excitement about their progress just hours before his death.
Bennington took to social media on September 7 to reflect on his friendship with Williams, describing him as a brother and someone who made him feel at home.
“For the last 36 hours I’ve tried to wrap my head around the fact that my friend isn’t walking back through the door. That I’m not getting coffee with him on the way to the airport. That I’m not hugging him goodbye and telling him how much I love him.”
Bennington said he has struggled to find the right words to describe Williams and the relationship they shared.
“While I try to wrap my head around this loss, I’m trying to also find the words to describe the incredible human being Andy was and the relationship we had.”
The bassist repeatedly returned to one thought when reflecting on Williams’ life: how fortunate he felt to have known him.
“The words and feelings I keep coming back to are ‘I was so lucky to get to know him.’ I truly believe each person whose life he touched was lucky to know him.”
“Every single one of us got a genuine and unique to us experience from him. To some it looked like love of wrestling, to others love of music, for me it was brotherhood.”
Bennington credited Williams with giving him encouragement, understanding, and confidence when he needed it most.
“Andy gave me so much love, so much encouragement and so much understanding. He built me up to be the best version of myself. He believed in me even when I couldn’t believe in myself.”
He also recalled the everyday moments they shared, from making music and watching movies to long conversations and late-night drives.
“Playing music along side of him felt like home, as did watching movies, long phone calls about life, late night drives listening to music and trying to sell each other on bands we couldn’t stand. Everything with him felt like home, and now home feels less than.”
Bennington closed his tribute by emphasizing just how deeply Williams’ loss will affect him.
“I am going to miss my friend for all of time.”
“I am going to miss my brother for all of time.”
He promised to continue carrying Williams’ memory with him.
“I will never stop saying his name or carrying with me the light that he gave me.”
“He was one of a kind and meant so much to anyone he encountered.”
Bennington concluded:
“Thank you for everything Andy… I love you with all of my heart.”
Williams’ passing has prompted an enormous response from both the wrestling and music communities, with countless friends, former bandmates, wrestlers, and colleagues sharing stories about the impact he had on their lives.
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