An American punk guitarist has revealed he underwent brain surgery just days after losing control of his fretting hand during a show in Nashville.
Chad Gilbert, co-founder of New Found Glory, said the alarming symptoms began onstage February 20 in Music City, when his left hand — and later his left leg — started to fail him.
“My left leg was getting weaker by the day, and I started stumbling and falling at times,” he wrote on Instagram. “On the 23rd, I was taken to the ER, where a CT scan showed three new tumors had appeared in my brain.”
Article continues below 
Gilbert underwent surgery just four days later, on February 27. The procedure was successful—and the results were immediate.
My radiation oncologist described it like this: ‘This is not a fatal blow and not the end of your story, just the beginning of a new chapter.’”
— Chad Gilbert
“He reported that he regained control of his left hand ‘immediately,’” he said, adding that he has remained in the hospital recovering since.
The setback marks the latest in a long series of health battles for the electric guitarist. Gilbert previously had thyroid cells removed in 2010, though no cancer was detected at the time.
In 2021, however, he underwent emergency surgery to remove a cancerous tumor after being found unresponsive at home. Subsequent treatments have addressed cancer in his spine and lungs.
Now, he’s focusing on recovery—and looking ahead.
“My radiation oncologist described it like this: ‘This is not a fatal blow and not the end of your story, just the beginning of a new chapter,’” he shared. “My recovery has been bumpy at times, but I’m feeling much better now and getting stronger by the day.
“I’m thankful to everyone who’s checked in on me and helped my family during this lengthy and challenging journey. [I’ll have] more stories to come when my brain is working well again. Love you all and am looking forward to sharing more music and fun with you as we come out of this.”
Formed in 1997, New Found Glory became one of the defining acts of the late-’90s and early-2000s pop-punk boom, often mentioned alongside Blink-182 and Green Day.
The band is currently scheduled to hit the road in June as main support for Yellowcard.
Gilbert’s ordeal follows similar health setbacks for other guitarists. Adrian Belew recently underwent surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome after experiencing numbness on tour, while rockabilly icon Brian Setzer has spoken about a debilitating autoimmune condition that temporarily left him unable to play.
