New Found Glory’s Chad Gilbert Dead At 45

Chad Gilbert, the New Found Glory founding member and lead guitarist, has died. He was 45.

On Sunday, Gilbert’s wife Lisa Cimorelli announced that he “passed away peacefully in his sleep,” following his emergency brain surgery in March when three tumors were discovered and his metastatic pheochromocytoma was upgraded to stage 4 adrenocortical carcinoma.

“On the morning of September 20th, Chad Everett Gilbert passed away peacefully in his sleep,” wrote Cimorelli in a joint statement with the band. “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. 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. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, his daughter, Lily, his mother, Jackie, and his brother, Brian.”

Cimorelli added, “Chad’s guitar playing, songwriting, humor, 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. 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. Rest in peace, Chad. We love you forever. Lisa, Jordan, Ian, Cyrus, and Dan”

Gilbert first underwent surgery to remove a pheochromocytoma cancerous tumor in 2021, before undergoing another operation in 2022 and chemotherapy the following year.