Guitarist Chad Gilbert – a founding member of the US rock band New Found Glory that doled out the early 2000s anthem My Friends Over You – has died aged 45. Gilbert’s family announced his death on Sunday, saying that he “passed away peacefully in his sleep” and “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”. In an interview with People magazine from April, Gilbert said that he had been diagnosed with stage four adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) after doctors discovered three brain tumors, including one “the size of a walnut”.
That discovery came as he underwent treatment for metastatic pheochromocytoma – a type of adrenal cancer – since 2021. My radiation oncologist described it like this: ‘This is not a fatal blow and not the end of your story, just the beginning of a new chapter.’” Explaining his ACC diagnosis, his wife, Lisa Cimorelli, told People magazine: “All his treatments were working on his whole body, but they don’t cross the blood-brain barrier. So that’s why this was kind of like the last frontier of a place for things to grow wild, which is unfortunate.” Gilbert revealed in August on Instagram that he “was crushing it and gaining weight” when “suddenly I couldn’t sleep and felt like I couldn’t breathe”.
I stayed for [five] days and they put a needle in between my ribs to drain all the fluid. Now I’m back to the beginning building my strength. But thankful for the nurses and doctors that found it.
Definitely kicked my butt. Hoping to feel like myself again soon.” After Gilbert’s death, his family wrote: “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.” Gilbert’s family wrote that his survivors include his wife; his daughter, Lily; his mother, Jackie; and his brother, Brian. Similarly, Gilbert’s bandmates Jordan Pundik, Ian Grushka and Cyrus Bolooki wrote: “Chad’s guitar playing, songwriting, humor, and relentless drive helped shape New Found Glory for nearly three decades. 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.
The band has been touring throughout the summer, with several more shows scheduled across cities including Orlando, Florida, and Sacramento, California. New Found Glory’s My Friends Over You and its lyrics about prioritizing one’s friendships above blossoming romance with someone else resonated with many teens at the beginning of the 21st century. Some of the band’s other signature songs included Hit or Miss and All Downhill From Here.
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