Hayley Williams Breaks Silence Following the Death of Her Ex-Husband Chad Gilbert

Hayley Williams is speaking out days after her ex-husband, New Found Glory guitarist Chad Gilbert, passed away at the age of 45.

The Paramore lead singer released a statement on her Instagram Stories, reflecting on her time with Gilbert. The duo married in 2016, following a decade of dating. However, they called it quits a year later due to Gilbert’s infidelity.

“Have not known what to say or if it’s appropriate, 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,” Williams wrote.

She then described Gilbert as “indeed a legend in the scene” and noted that her time connected to him taught her 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,” the singer continued. “There isn’t much that hasn’t already been said about what contributed to the musical world a lot of us grew up in.”

Williams also shared that Gilbert’s influence and attitude guided the punk genre forward. “His passion for fostering the community was inspiring and sticks with me. 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 went on to offer love and sympathy to Gilbert’s family, his New Found Glory bandmates, and his friends.

The guitarist died on Sunday following a battle with cancer. He is survived by his mother and brother, as well as his now-wife, Lisa Cimorelli, and their daughter, Lily.