Chad Gilbert, founding member and lead guitarist for New Found Glory, has died at the age of 45.
The Florida pop-punk band and Gilbert’s wife Lisa Cimorelli announced Gilbert’s death Sunday on social media, six months after the guitarist revealed he was battling brain cancer; Gilbert was initially diagnosed with liver cancer in 2021.
“On the morning of September 20th, Chad Everett Gilbert passed away peacefully in his sleep,” the band wrote. “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.”
Gilbert’s bandmates continued, “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 a legendary musician, but his favorite accomplishment was being a husband and father. His biggest dreams came true.”
Since helping found the band alongside Jordan Pundik, Ian Grushka, and Stephen Klein in 1997 at just 17 years old, Gilbert became an integral part of New Found Glory, writing most of the band’s songs, including pop-punk staples “My Friends Over You” and “Head on Collision.”
“Chad’s guitar playing, songwriting, humor, and relentless drive helped shape New Found Glory for nearly three decades,” his bandmates wrote Sunday.
“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. 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.”
With New Found Glory, Gilbert became an integral member of the pop-punk scene in the early aughts. He offered guest vocals on a track from Fall Out Boy’s From Under the Cork Tree LP and guitar riffs on the band’s 2007 song “The Take Over, The Breaks Over.” Gilbert also had a longtime relationship with Paramore lead singer Hayley Williams; the pair were married from February 2016 to late 2017.
In a tribute post following the news of Gilbert’s death, Mark Hoppus wrote, “Chad was the best friend to every person he met. The most positive and creative force in any room he walked into.” The Blink-182 singer went onto detail Gilbert’s strength in his battle with cancer. “These past years he fought his sickness with the soul of a joyous, courageous warrior,” said Hoppus, who previously fought lymphoma after being diagnosed in 2021. He added: “You’ll be sorely missed by more people than you could ever imagine. See you on the other side.”
Earlier this year, New Found Glory took a moment to shout out Gilbert and his fight against cancer during their set at the 2026 Vans Warped Tour stop in Washington, D.C. “Give it up for Chad!” they told the crowd. Gilbert was unable to perform after he lost sensation in the left side of his body as result of three tumors that were pushed up against his brain.
In April, the guitarist detailed his arduous cancer journey in an interview with Rolling Stone. “It felt good to know that there’s still a battle to be going on and that I can recover from this and grow stronger from this,” he said at the time. Gilbert and Cimorelli shared that the guitarist’s treatment plan included promising immunotherapies to keep the cancer out of his brain.
Gilbert continued to be positive throughout his cancer battle. “I have my crying moments where, like everyone, I have to let it out,” he said. “But I like that we can turn it around into something positive… It’s always been just to inspire and grow a community of people that want to go to our shows and smile and have a good time.”
