Chad Gilbert Cause of Death: New Found Glory Guitarist Dies At 45

Chad Gilbert, who was the lead guitarist of rock band New Found Glory, has died at just 45. He was diagnosed with stage 4 adrenocortical carcinoma and had emergency brain surgery in March. On September 20, his wife, Lisa Cimorelli, shared the tragic news of his passing. In a statement, she wrote that Gilbert “passed away peacefully in his sleep.”

Lisa shared a joint statement with New Found Glory. It read, “On the morning of September 20th, Chad Everett Gilbert passed away 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. 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,” the statement added.

Gilbert underwent his first surgery in 2021 to remove a metastatic pheochromocytoma. The following year, he had another operation. In 2023, the guitarist started chemotherapy. His pheochromocytoma was upgraded to stage 4 adrenocortical carcinoma.

Chad Gilbert’s Journey With New Found Glory

Chad Gilbert Performing On Stage | Credit: Instagram/lisacimorelli

Born on March 9, 1981, in Coral Springs, Florida, Chad Gilbert founded New Found Glory in 1997 with his bandmates, Jordan Pundik as the lead vocalist, Ian Grushka as the bassist, and Cyrus Bolooki as the drummer. In 1999, Gilbert dropped out of high school after the band was signed to Drive-Thru Records. They debuted with the album Nothing Gold Can Stay.

He also performed with the band Shai Hulud. He had a solo music career as What’s Eating Gilbert and produced music for H2O and A Day to Remember. Gilbert died after a 4-year-long battle with cancer.