New Found Glory have announced a series of EPCOT shows to honour their late frontman and “massive Disney fan” Chad Gilbert.
Gilbert died aged 45 peacefully in his sleep on Sunday morning (September 20), following a five-year battle with cancer.
Now, in the wake of Gilbert’s death, New Found Glory have taken to Instagram to “thank everyone for the overwhelming amount of love and tribute posts for Chad these past few days.” They added that they would be cancelling their upcoming show at Aftershock Festival “to give ourselves time to process and grieve”.
The band went on to announce a string of pre-planned shows at Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World, Florida. “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,” they wrote on social media.
“He had already worked on the setlists with us and was practicing as much as possible to be ready,” they added. “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.
“Every note we play and every word you sing at Epcot is for Chad,” they concluded. “Thank you all for wrapping us in so much love, understanding, and support as we come together to honor his legacy.”
Gilbert first revealed in 2021 that he had undergone emergency surgery after being diagnosed with a rare tumour called a pheochromocytoma, having been found unconscious at home by his wife.
The tumour eventually spread to his liver, which caused his doctors to remove half of his liver, his gallbladder and one adrenal gland. The following month, he announced that scans had come back clear and that he was “officially cancer free”.
However, doctors discovered another tumour in his spine later that year; despite Gilbert subsequently reporting that “the cancer in my spine is gone” after having the remainder of the affected vertebra removed, he continued to experience health problems.
This year, Gilbert underwent emergency brain surgery following the discovery of three tumours after he began losing control of his left hand and leg. He was diagnosed with stage four adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of adrenal cancer.
Hayley Williams, who was married to Gilbert from 2016 to 2017, paid tribute to the singer on her Instagram, writing: “Have not known what to say or if it’s appropriate. 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.”
“Chad is indeed a legend in the scene and my time connected to him taught me a lot,” Williams continued. “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.”
She added that she “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.”
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