Culture 5 min read By Morgan Griffin
Chad Gilbert, New Found Glory Guitarist and Founding Member, Dies at 45
Chad Gilbert, the founding guitarist and backing vocalist of pop-punk band New Found Glory, has died at 45 after a years-long battle with cancer. The band and his wife, Lisa Cimorelli, confirmed he passed away peacefully in his sleep on September 20.
Chad Gilbert, the founding guitarist and backing vocalist of the pop-punk band New Found Glory, has died at the age of 45. The band and Gilbert's wife, Lisa Cimorelli, confirmed his death in a joint statement shared on social media. According to the statement, Gilbert passed away peacefully in his sleep on the morning of September 20, surrounded by friends and family, with his wife and mother by his side.
«We are devastated and shocked by how quickly he left us, yet so grateful for how peacefully and smoothly he went,» the statement read. «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.» The message, signed by his wife Lisa and bandmates Jordan Pundik, Ian Grushka, Cyrus Bolooki, and Dan O'Connor, concluded: «Rest in peace, Chad. We love you forever.»
Gilbert had been undergoing treatment for cancer for several years. In December 2021, he revealed that he had undergone emergency surgery after being diagnosed with a rare tumor called a pheochromocytoma, which originated on his adrenal gland and had spread to his liver. Doctors removed half of his liver, his gallbladder, and one adrenal gland. The following month, he announced that scans had come back clear and that he was officially cancer free. Later that year, however, doctors discovered another tumor in his spine, leading to further surgery. Gilbert subsequently said the cancer in his spine was gone after having the remainder of the affected vertebra removed.
His health problems continued in the years that followed. Earlier in 2026, Gilbert underwent emergency brain surgery after three tumors were discovered when he began losing control of his left hand and leg. He later said doctors had revised his diagnosis to stage four adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of adrenal cancer. Despite his illness, Gilbert continued working with New Found Glory and helped make their latest album, «Listen Up!,» which was released in February. Four months later, he made an emotional return to the stage with the band in Nashville, performing from a mobility scooter after his brain surgery.
Born in Florida in 1981, Gilbert first became known as the teenage vocalist of hardcore band Shai Hulud, appearing on their influential 1997 debut album «Hearts Once Nourished With Hope And Compassion.» He went on to co-found New Found Glory in Coral Springs later in the '90s, becoming the group's lead guitarist, backing vocalist, and one of their principal songwriters. Alongside Pundik, Grushka, and Bolooki, Gilbert helped establish the group as one of the defining bands of the early-2000s pop-punk boom. Their early records included the 1999 debut «Nothing Gold Can Stay» and their 2000 self-titled album, before their breakthrough with 2002's «Sticks And Stones.»
Beyond New Found Glory, Gilbert was a prominent producer within the pop-punk and hardcore scenes. His credits included work with A Day To Remember on albums including «Homesick» and «What Separates Me From You,» as well as records by H2O and Terror. He also released music through his solo project What's Eating Gilbert and fronted New Found Glory's hardcore side-project International Superheroes Of Hardcore.
In their tribute, Gilbert's bandmates praised his contribution to the group over nearly three decades. «Chad's guitar playing, songwriting, humor, and relentless drive helped shape New Found Glory for nearly three decades,» they wrote. «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.» They added: «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.»
Gilbert is survived by his wife Lisa, daughter Lily, mother Jackie, and brother Brian.
