Hayley Williams, the lead singer of Paramore, has issued a statement following the death of her ex-husband, Chad Gilbert, the guitarist for New Found Glory. Gilbert died Sunday at the age of 45 after a battle with cancer.
Gilbert had publicly shared his diagnosis earlier this year, revealing he was being treated for Stage 4 adrenocortical carcinoma. He had first announced in 2021 that he was undergoing treatment for metastatic pheochromocytoma, a rare adrenal cancer.
"Have not known what to say or if it’s appropriate," Williams wrote in a message shared on her Instagram story on Wednesday. "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."
She reflected on Gilbert's impact, stating, "Chad is indeed a legend in the scene and my time connected to him taught me a lot." Williams added that he introduced her to people who have continued to influence her life and to music and culture that have enriched it. "I will forever be grateful that from him I gained a deeper understanding and reverence for the community and the culture of hardcore," she wrote.
Williams and Gilbert were in a relationship starting in 2008 and became engaged six years later. They married in February 2016 but announced their separation in July 2017.
Gilbert, who had been married previously, wed his third wife, Lisa Cimorelli, in 2020. They welcomed a daughter, Lily, in 2021.
Cimorelli announced Gilbert's passing on Instagram, stating he "passed away peacefully in his sleep." She added that he died surrounded by friends and family, with his wife and mother by his side. "We are devastated and shocked by how quickly he left us, yet so grateful for how peacefully and smoothly he went."