Chad Gilbert, a founding member of the iconic ’90s band New Found Glory, has been fighting for his life for five years.
Gilbert was diagnosed with stage 4 adrenal cancer in 2021, but his diagnosis changed earlier this year when doctors discovered three brain tumors.
Chad Gilbert’s Cancer Battle
Gilbert revealed in an interview with People, which was published on Monday, April 20, that he began noticing weakness in his left leg back in February.
“I was like, ‘I’ll still play the CD release show. Just get me a chair, put me on stage,'” he told the outlet. “I played all the songs, we released our record…I was on my walker, walking up the steps to the back of my house, and I just ate it and fell.”
After going in for scans, doctors told the rocker he had three brain tumors, one as large as a walnut.
His original diagnosis, metastatic pheochromocytoma, was updated to adrenocortical carcinoma, or ACC.
According to Gilbert’s wife, Lisa Cimorelli, the life expectancy for a patient with ACC is “six months to a year,” but the “Hit or Miss” artist had already been fighting for five years.
Gilbert first opened up about his recent health scare via Instagram in March.
“On February 20th, I played a show in Nashville and was struggling to control the movements of my left hand. My left leg was getting weaker by the day, and I started stumbling and falling at times. On the 23rd, I was taken to the ER, where a CT scan showed 3 new tumors had appeared in my brain,” he shared alongside a photo from his hospital bed. “On 2/27, I had successful brain surgery and have been recovering in the hospital since. I regained the function of my left hand immediately 🙏🏻”
Chad Gilbert’s Message to His Wife
Despite his hardships, Gilbert told People he got his “dream.”
“I always wanted to play music, and I got that, but my biggest dream was to be married to a beautiful wife that would love me and have a daughter,” he added of their 4-year-old daugther, Lily. “That was my dream, so I accomplished my dream.”
While he continues to write music throughout his recovery, Gilbert admitted he has not picked up a guitar since his surgery. However, the beloved rocker is determined to get on stage when his band performs in Nashville in June.
“I’ll be able to play. I’ll be sitting in a chair.”
