Chad Gilbert: Chad Gilbert, a founding member and lead guitarist of New Found Glory, has died at 45.
The Florida pop-punk band and his wife, Lisa Cimorelli, announced the news on social media Sunday.
It came six months after Gilbert publicly revealed he had brain cancer. He was first diagnosed with liver cancer in 2021.
The band said Gilbert died peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Sept. 20.
His wife and mother were at his side. Friends and family surrounded him, just as he had wished.
His bandmates said they were shocked by how fast it happened. They said they were also grateful that his passing was calm.
Crowds of visitors filled the hospital lobby on short notice. The band called that proof of how loved he was.
They described Gilbert as a legendary musician. His proudest role, they said, was husband and father.
Gilbert helped start New Found Glory in 1997 with Jordan Pundik, Ian Grushka and Stephen Klein. He was 17 at the time.
He went on to write most of the band's songs. Those include the pop-punk favorites "My Friends Over You" and "Head on Collision."
The band said his guitar work, songwriting, humor and drive shaped the group for nearly three decades.
Over more than a dozen albums and countless world tours, he pushed his bandmates to grow. They said his influence will stay with the band on every stage.
Gilbert was a key figure in the early 2000s pop-punk scene. He sang guest vocals on Fall Out Boy's "From Under the Cork Tree."
He also played guitar on the band's 2007 song "The Take Over, The Breaks Over." He was once married to Paramore singer Hayley Williams.
Blink-182's Mark Hoppus paid tribute after the news broke. He said Gilbert treated everyone he met like a best friend.
He also praised the joy and courage Gilbert showed during his illness. Hoppus, who was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2021, closed with, "See you on the other side."
New Found Glory honored Gilbert earlier this year at the 2026 Vans Warped Tour stop in Washington, D.C.
The band asked the crowd to cheer for him. Gilbert could not perform. Three tumors pressing on his brain had left him without feeling on his left side.
In April, Gilbert spoke to Rolling Stone about his cancer journey. He said it was encouraging to know he could recover and come back stronger.
He and Cimorelli said his treatment included immunotherapy meant to keep the cancer out of his brain.
Gilbert stayed upbeat through his illness. He admitted to having tough moments. But he said he preferred to turn them into something positive.
He said his goal was always to grow a community of fans who come to shows to smile and have fun.
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