Hayley Williams posted a statement on her Instagram Stories on September 23, 2026, three days after Chad Gilbert’s death at 45. The Paramore vocalist and New Found Glory guitarist were in a relationship for much of the 2010s, beginning in 2008. They married in 2016, but divorced the following year. Gilbert married singer Lisa Cimorelli in 2020, and the two had a daughter in 2021.
Following the news of Gilbert’s death, Williams stated that she had “not known what to say or if it’s appropriate.” She then added, per a report from Variety, “But I feel sure now that I want to [because] life is made of the paths we cross and the reasons we cross them are infinite.”
Her post continued, “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.
“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,” Williams added. “His influence and attitude guided the genre forward. His passion for fostering the community was inspiring and sticks with me.”
Despite Their Troubled Past Relationship, Hayley Williams Expressed Gratitude for Chad Gilbert Following His Death
Hayley Williams and Chad Gilbert’s personal relationship often came under public scrutiny, notably for their age difference and reports of Gilbert’s infidelity. Additionally, there were often discussions among fans of a perceived power imbalance between the two. Paramore was just breaking through when they started dating, while New Found Glory was already an established band. To many on the outside, this seemed like an unfair match.
But in the wake of Gilbert’s death, Williams expressed her gratitude for her time with the guitarist. Specifically, for what he taught her about the hardcore scene. She noted the people she met through him, and the appreciation she developed for their shared community.
“I will forever be grateful that from him I gained a deeper understanding and a reverence for the community and the culture of hardcore,” she wrote. Williams concluded her post with, “Sending love and my sympathies to his family, NFG fam, and all his friends.”
New Found Glory and Lisa Cimorelli announced Chad Gilbert’s death in a join statement posted on Instagram. “On the morning of September 20th, Chad Everett Gilbert passed away peacefully in his sleep,” the post began. “He 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.”
Gilbert was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer around 2021. He often shared updates with fans on his Instagram. Posts about treatments and surgeries were featured in between footage from the road with New Found Glory.
Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for PCA
The post Hayley Williams Addresses Ex-Husband Chad Gilbert’s Death, Shares Gratitude for ‘Deeper Understanding’ of Hardcore Scene appeared first on VICE.
