New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert dies at 45

Chad Gilbert has died at the age of 45. He was the founding member and lead guitarist for the punk rock group New Found Glory. The band and his wife, Lisa Cimorelli, shared this heartbreaking news in a joint Instagram post on Saturday. They did not specify a cause of death in that message. However, Gilbert had been fighting adrenal cancer since 2021. Doctors found tumors in February, leading to brain surgery.

On the morning of September 20th, Chad Everett Gilbert passed away peacefully in his sleep. The family said he left this world surrounded by friends and family. He took his final breaths with his wife and mother by his side. This happened exactly as he wished. We are devastated yet so grateful for how smoothly he went. The hospital lobby was crowded with visitors at a moment's notice. This showed how beloved Chad was. He will always be cherished.

Chad was a legendary musician, but his favorite accomplishment was being a husband and father. His biggest dreams came true. He is survived by his wife Lisa, their daughter Lily, his mother Jackie, and his brother Brian. New Found Glory members Jordan Pundik, Ian Grushka, and Cyrus Bolooki paid tribute to Gilbert's lasting influence. They shared a deep personal bond with him for nearly three decades.

Chad's guitar playing, songwriting, humor, and relentless drive helped shape the band. Through more than a dozen albums, they toured around the world. The accolades were endless. Chad challenged everyone to grow as musicians and human beings. While we are devastated to lose him, we are so grateful for his incredible life. We cherish the memories we shared. His brotherhood remains with us forever. His influence will always be part of New Found Glory. His spirit will be felt on every stage they stand on.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Le Grand Music and Pure Noise Records for comment. The management company and label have not yet responded publicly. Gilbert had been open about his battle with stage 4 adrenal cancer. This rare disease was first diagnosed in 2021. It later spread to his spine, lungs, and brain. He initially had metastatic pheochromocytoma. A tumor grows inside the inner part of the adrenal gland during this condition.

In a February interview with People magazine, he described feeling weak on the left side of his body. Walking became difficult while promoting their latest album Listen Up!. After collapsing at home, Gilbert underwent a scan. Doctors discovered three brain tumors. One required emergency surgery immediately. He later received radiation and immunotherapy for the two remaining tumors. After the operation, his diagnosis changed to adrenocortical carcinoma. This starts growing in the outer layer of the adrenal gland.

In a March Instagram post, Gilbert noted that his recovery has been bumpy at times. He was feeling much better now and getting stronger by the day. He returned to the stage in June during their tour stop in Nashville Tennessee. He performed with New Found Glory while using a mobility scooter. I got to play a show in front of my daughter something I truly never thought I'd get to do again. He thanked his wife, nurses, doctors, and amazing team that kept him alive through his battle.

Getting up on stage with my band again was very emotional," the guitarist said. "So many feelings all at once." This sentiment followed a career that spanned decades and defined an entire era of music.

Patrick Gilbert formed New Found Glory in 1984, though the band officially broke through when they released their 2002 album Sticks and Stones. That record reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart after delivering hit singles like My Friends Over You and Head On Collision. The follow-up, Catalyst, came out in 2004 and peaked at No. 3 on the same list. It produced tracks such as All Downhill from Here and Failure's Not Flattering. New Found Glory became one of the defining bands of the early-2000s pop-punk era. The group released 12 studio albums and toured extensively around the world. Gilbert appeared on every New Found Glory album, including Listen Up!, which arrived in February.

Outside his main band, he worked in hardcore as a vocalist for Shai Hulud and with International Superheroes of Hardcore, a side project linked to New Found Glory. He also produced records for A Day to Remember, H2O, and State Champs while collaborating with Fall Out Boy. His personal life saw several marriages. He wed Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams from 2016 to 2017. Later, he married Sherri DuPree, the Eisley singer, in 2007 but they split later that same year. In 2020, he married Cimorelli member Lily, who is now his five-year-old daughter.

Gilbert was born March 9, 1981, in Coral Springs, Florida. He passed away leaving behind his wife and daughter. Jackie and Brian are also among those who survive him. The loss marks the end of a life that shaped heavy music history while raising a family.