Paramore star Hayley Williams pays emotional tribute to ex-husband after tragic death aged 45

On Sunday (20 September), Chad Gilbert’s family announced he had had ‘passed away peacefully in his sleep’ at the age of 45.

The guitarist was surrounded by friends and family with his ‘wife and mother by his side just as he wished’ following a battle with cancer.

And Hayley Williams, who split from Gilbert in 2017, paid tribute to him in an Instagram Story yesterday.

The Paramore star remembered the New Found Glory founding member as a ‘legend in the scene’ as she said her time ‘connected to him’ taught her a lot.

The musicians were together for nearly 10 years and married in 2016 before splitting the following year. Following their divorce, the guitarist went on to marry Lisa Cimorelli in 2020 and welcomed daughter Lily in 2021.

That same year, Gilbert was diagnosed with stage four adrenal cancer and back in April spoke to PEOPLE about a recent stage four adrenocortical carcinoma.

And Cimorelli said it drastically worsened his prognosis despite previous treatments being effective.

While they did not disclose the cause, when announcing his death, his family said: “We are devastated and shocked by how quickly he left us, yet so grateful for how peacefully and smoothly he went.”

Hayley Williams' Chad Gilbert tribute

Williams said on Instagram Stories that she hadn’t known ‘what to say or if it’s appropriate’ as she spoke on Gilbert’s death.

“But I feel sure now that I want to bc life is made of the paths we cross and the reasons we cross them are infinite,” the singer said.

“Chad is indeed a legend in the scene and my time connected to him taught me a lot. He introduced me to people that continue to shape my life in beautiful ways, and to music and culture that has made life a lot richer.”

Williams continued: “There isn't much that hasn't already been said about what he contributed to the musical world a lot of us grew up in. His influence and attitude guided the genre forward. His passion for fostering the community was inspiring and sticks with me.

“I will forever be grateful that from him I gained a deeper understanding and a reverence for the community and the culture of hardcore.

“Sending love and my sympathies to his family, NFG fam, and all his friends.”

In the announcement of his death, his family reflected on how ‘beloved and cherished’ he was.

“He was a legendary musician, but his favourite accomplishment was being a husband and father,” they echoed. “His biggest dreams came true.”

Stars share tributes to Chad Gilbert

New Found Glory

New Found Glory have since taken to Instagram to 'to thank everyone for the overwhelming amount of love and tribute posts for Chad these past few days'.

The rock band, which consists of Jordan Pundik, Cyrus Bolooki and Ian Grushka, added: “Seeing how deeply he touched so many lives means everything to us, and we know he would be so proud to see it.”

They announced that they had cancelled their appearance at Aftershock Festival to 'give ourselves time to process and grieve'.

New Found Glory's statement continued: “Anyone who knew Chad knew that he was a massive Disney fan. Our shows at Epcot were dates he was so excited for and he was actively planning to be on stage with us there.

“He had already worked on the setlists with us and was practicing as much as possible to be ready. Because of how much he wanted to play these shows, taking the stage at Epcot feels like the right way to honor him, and what he would want us to do.

“Our plan from the beginning with him was to announce our Epcot sets ahead of time, so we feel it’s only appropriate to share them with you now as we prepare to play in his memory.”

They concluded: “Every note we play and every word you sing at Epcot is for Chad. Thank you all for wrapping us in so much love, understanding, and support as we come together to honor his legacy.”

Jordan Pundik

New Found Glory founding member Jordan Pundik shared his own tribute, calling Gilbert his ‘brother’ and ‘best friend’.

The frontman said: “I’ve never been great with getting my thoughts like this out. It’s hard to even know what to say right now. This feels so wrong.

“Chad was not only an inspiration to me but also to so many people. He always had a way of pushing me to be a better singer and frontman. He lived and breathed this band but he also lived and breathed for his family and friends. He will be missed so much.”

He went on to say:“I’ll miss him being part of the coffee crew, and movie gang. I’ll miss him when it’s time to re watch seasons of The Office for 100th time on the bus. I’ll miss him onstage. I’ll miss him when everyone is off doing their own thing on a day off and I just need someone to play a round of Dungeon Boss with. I’ll miss him arguing with me about where my Strongarm shirt is that he “borrowed” from me when we were 17.”

Pundik concluded the emotional post, saying that Gilbert ‘will be with us always’.

Mark Hoppus

Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus said Gilbert ‘was the best friend to every person he met’.

Taking to Instagram, he penned: “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.

“Today we lost a good one, and the world won’t be the same. Rest easy now, my friend. And thank you for just. Being. You’ll be sorely missed by more people than you could ever imagine. See you on the other side.”

Ryan Key

Yellowcard singer Ryan Key also shared a touching Instagram post about Gilbert, writing: “Chad was the kind of friend most people don’t get to have in a lifetime. I owe so much to him for encouraging me to keep going back in 2017 when Yellowcard broke up,” he said. “The bear hugs I got every time I walked in his door will be around me forever.”

Key, whose band recently co-headlined a tour with New Found Glory, continued: “He brought me into the New Found Glory family at a time when I needed my friends so badly. I looked to Chad as an example of how to stay positive in the most difficult times. I watched him fight his illness in awe of his strength and desire for life.”

The guitarist went on to say: “I was able to get to Nashville yesterday to see him before he passed. I stopped at the card shop in Franklin TN where we would always go to get Magic cards and comics. I chose this card (last slide) to put in his hand because it has two special abilities. The first is that other cards can help to play this card.

“Chad’s friends and family walked through this unimaginable pain with him every step of the way. But once the card is played, it protects the other cards in the game from damage. I know that Chad will always be with us. Always protecting us. Always reminding us how hard a human being can love. May the Force be with you, brother. Forever miss you, I will.”