Chad Gilbert, guitarist for rock band New Found Glory, has died aged 45.
The musician, who also co-founded the group in 1997, was diagnosed with a rare adrenal gland cancer in 2021, which progressed to an aggressive stage 4 adrenocortical carcinoma.
His bandmates and his wife, Lisa Cimorelli, 33, announced his death via heartfelt statements, saying they were ‘devastated’.
They confirmed that Gilbert died ‘on the morning of September 20’, peacefully ‘in his sleep’.
‘He left this world surrounded by friends and family and took his final breaths with his wife and mother by his side, just as he wished,’ singer Cimorelli, who married Gilbert in 2020, wrote.
‘We are devastated and shocked by how quickly he left us, yet so grateful for how peacefully and smoothly he went.
‘The amount of visitors that crowded the hospital lobby at a moment’s notice is a testament to how beloved and cherished Chad was, and always will be.’
He was remembered as a ‘legendary musician’ whose ‘biggest dreams came true’, with the post adding that his ‘favourite accomplishment was being a husband and father’.
Gilbert is survived by Lisa, his five-year-old daughter, Lily, his mother, Jackie, and his brother, Brian.
His bandmates added: ‘Chad’s guitar playing, songwriting, humour, and relentless drive helped shape New Found Glory for nearly three decades.
‘Through more than a dozen albums, endless tours around the world, and more accolades than we ever could have imagined, Chad challenged all of us to grow as musicians, performers, and human beings.
‘While we are devastated to lose him, we are so grateful for the incredible life he lived, the memories we shared, and the brotherhood we had.’
They declared that ‘his influence will always be part of New Found Glory and his spirit will be felt on every stage we stand on, with every note we play’.
Gilbert’s fans and fellow music stars have been paying tribute, hailing him as a ‘pioneer in pop punk’.
The late performer revealed in December 2021 that he had undergone emergency surgery to remove a rare cancerous tumour after he was found unresponsive in bed.
In August 2022, he reported he had been diagnosed with cancer again, as another tumour was found in his spine and required urgent surgery.
The following February, he announced that he was having intense chemotherapy for rare pheochromocytomas discovered in his lungs and back.
Gilbert’s health struggles continued when he needed brain surgery after three more tumours were discovered this year.
In April, he said that his diagnosis had changed and was stage 4.
As well as playing guitar and singing backing vocals for New Found Glory, Gilbert was the lead vocalist for the band’s extinct side project, International Superheroes of Hardcore, and had two stints as the lead vocalist for Shai Hulud.
He was also a producer and made his own solo material.
Prior to marrying his third wife, Gilbert was in a nearly decade-long relationship with Paramore singer Hayley Williams, 37. They began dating in 2008, married in 2016, and divorced in 2017.
Williams, who met Gilbert in her late teens, when he was still married to his first wife, Sherri DuPree, later expressed regret over the marriage and spoke about the impact of the split on her mental health.
In their announcement, they stated that ‘marriage is not for the faint of heart’ but insisted they would ‘remain close friends’.
Afterwards, Williams shared that she experienced depression and weight loss as she navigated the separation, and, in her song, Dead Horse, she admitted feeling ‘guilty’ over being ‘the other woman’ when they got together.
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