Coral Springs native and New Found Glory founding guitarist Chad Gilbert dies at 45 after years of battling illness
Coral Springs, Florida – Chad Gilbert, the Coral Springs native who helped build New Found Glory from a local band into one of the best-known names in pop-punk, has died at the age of 45.
Gilbert died Sunday, September 20, according to a joint statement from his wife, Lisa Cimorelli, and his New Found Glory bandmates. The statement said he died peacefully in his sleep with his wife and mother at his side. No cause of death was given.
Gilbert had spoken publicly about his health in recent years. Since 2021, he had discussed his treatment for different forms of cancer, and more recently he had been dealing with brain tumors.
His death marks the loss of a musician whose career was closely connected to the South Florida community where he grew up. Gilbert attended J.P. Taravella High School in Coral Springs when he joined New Found Glory, a band originally started by students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
New Found Glory was formed in 1997, with Gilbert taking on lead guitar duties while also contributing songwriting and backup vocals. What began with local performances eventually became a major part of the pop-punk scene that emerged around the turn of the century.
The band became known for songs including “Hit or Miss” and “My Friends Over You,” helping establish New Found Glory as a lasting presence in the genre. Gilbert remained an important part of the band’s musical identity throughout its career.
His final years were also marked by a difficult battle with illness. Earlier this year, doctors discovered three tumors in his brain. Gilbert underwent surgery in February, temporarily taking him away from the stage.
He eventually returned to performing. In June, Gilbert played with New Found Glory in Nashville, an appearance that carried special meaning for him and his family.
Gilbert later wrote about performing in front of his young daughter, Lily. He said it was something he had feared might never happen again.
For those closest to him, however, his legacy extended well beyond music. His family and bandmates highlighted the role he played as a husband and father when remembering his life.
“His favorite accomplishment was being a husband and father.”
Gilbert is survived by Cimorelli, their daughter Lily, his mother Jackie and his brother Brian.
News of his death also brought a tribute from Mark Hoppus of Blink-182, another prominent figure in the pop-punk world. Hoppus remembered Gilbert not only for his music, but for the way he treated people and faced his illness.
“Chad was the best friend to every person he met. The most positive and creative force in any room he walked into. These past years, he fought his sickness with the soul of a joyous, courageous warrior. With dignity, love, and gratitude. He never complained once, only kept saying how lucky he was. For everything,” Hoppus wrote. “Today we lost a good one, and the world won’t be the same.”
Gilbert’s career stretched across decades of change in popular music. From playing local shows in South Florida to becoming a founding member of a band that helped define the early 2000s pop-punk sound, his path remained closely tied to New Found Glory.
For Coral Springs, his story is also a local one. He was a hometown musician who attended a local high school and went on to reach audiences far beyond South Florida.
While fans will remember Gilbert for his guitar work, songwriting and performances, the final memories shared by his family point to another part of his life. Away from the stage, he was a husband, a father and a son.
Gilbert was 45 years old when he died, leaving behind his family, bandmates, friends and a generation of fans who grew up with New Found Glory’s music.
