New Found Glory Guitarist Chad Gilbert Dies At 45
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New Found Glory Guitarist Dies At 45
Chad Gilbert, founding member and lead guitarist of New Found Glory, has died at the age of 45.
The pop-punk band and Gilbert’s wife, Lisa Cimorelli, announced his death Sunday on social media. Gilbert died peacefully in his sleep on September 20, surrounded by loved ones, with Cimorelli and his mother by his side.
“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.”
His death comes six months after Gilbert revealed he was battling brain cancer. He had been fighting cancer since 2021, when he was diagnosed with metastatic pheochromocytoma, a rare form of adrenal cancer. His health battle later included the discovery of brain tumors and emergency brain surgery in February 2026.
Who Is New Found Glory?
New Found Glory is a Florida-based pop-punk band that formed in 1997 and rose to fame during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The band is best known for songs including “My Friends Over You,” “Hit or Miss,” “All Downhill From Here” and “Head on Collision.”
Gilbert was a founding member of the group at just 17 years old and served as their lead guitarist. The group became a prominent name in the pop-punk scene and has released more than a dozen studio albums.
In the months leading up to his death, Gilbert regularly shared health updates with his followers on Instagram.
“On February 20th, I played a show in Nashville and was struggling to control the movements of my left hand. My left leg was getting weaker by the day and I started stumbling and falling at times. On the 23rd I was taken to the ER where a CT scan showed 3 new tumors had appeared in my brain,” Gilbert wrote back in March.
In June, the musician reflected on an emotional night when he returned to the stage and performed in front of his daughter for the first time in what he thought might never happen again. He thanked his wife, doctors, nurses and team for supporting him throughout his health battle and shared photos from the special show with fans.
Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with Chad Gilbert’s family and friends during this unimaginable time.
