Chad Gilbert Passes After Five Year Battle With Cancer

Chad Everett Gilbert, founding member, guitarist and singer-songwriter for pop-punk band New Found Glory, passed away on September 20 after a five-year battle with a rare adrenal cancer that metastasized to his brain. The 45-year-old musician died peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by family and friends, and is survived by his wife, Lisa Cimorelli, and his daughter, Lily.

Chad’s passing was announced in a joint statement from his wife and band members on multiple platforms. In their post, the musician’s inner circle expressed, “We are devastated and shocked by how quickly he left us, yet so grateful for how peacefully and smoothly he went.” Going on to articulate Chad’s integral role in shaping the band not just as performers but also as people, the post signs off with an emphatic, “Rest in peace, Chad. We love you forever ❤️ Lisa, Jordan, Ian, Cyrus, and Dan.”

Chad Gilbert founded the band New Found Glory in 1977 at 17 years old, with aforementioned founders Jordan Pundik and Ian Grushka, alongside former guitarist Stephen Klein. The songwriter has become a pivotal player in the band’s success, most notable for hits like “Head on Collision” and “My Friends Over You”. Chad has also written songs for other artists such as Fall Out Boy and A Day to Remember.

Chad was diagnosed with a rare adrenal gland cancer called metastatic pheochromocytoma in 2021. Throughout the span of five years, the cancer had spread to his spine, lungs, and stomach in different periods. However, Chad continued performing through his sets while getting surgical and radiation treatments. He also publicly shared his diagnoses and treatments. After all his previous tumors in the spine, lungs, and stomach had been treated, Chad’s condition remained stable while he continued immunotherapy.

Initially, the side effects from Chad’s treatments had not affected his mobility or his capacity to play guitar for the band. One day after the release of their band’s 12th album, however, Chad experienced a loss of control in his left hand while playing guitar. Later that night, he fell walking up the steps of his home. Chad spent the weekend bedridden and further losing control of the left side of his body.

After his doctor’s advice to get a brain scan, three new tumors were revealed in his brain, with a particularly large one “the size of a walnut”. The tumors were increasing pressure in the brain and caused the loss of movement, requiring emergency surgery. Unfortunately, according to his wife Lisa, the whole-body treatments controlling cancer growth were unable to cross the blood-brain barrier, allowing for the unfortunate metastasis to happen.

Despite the sudden diagnosis, Chad still radiated acceptance and optimism. Even in illness, he remained grateful for the fact that he was able to achieve his dream of playing music and having a family. Furthermore, Chad shared his hopes to continue playing for New Found Glory, even if he had to sit in a chair, especially when they performed near the Gilberts home in Nashville.

While Chad Gilberts has passed on, he has left behind an inspiring and very public legacy. His hope and his resilience remain in some of his words after his final diagnosis. “What's crazy is through this journey, to this part of my life … as painful as it is, I'm able to inspire people who are going through really tough things in their lives.”