Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory has recalled how his wife Lisa found him unresponsive and “minutes from death” earlier this month.
“Not being able to wake me, she called 911 and performed CPR and mouth to mouth,” the musician shared in an Instagram post. “Apparently I was doing something called ‘agonal breathing’ and was minutes from death. I woke up with 7 paramedics surrounding my bed. I was so confused. My blood sugar somehow dropped to 20 and if my wife hadn’t found me, I would’ve fallen into a coma or died.”
Gilbert said he was rushed to hospital, where an endocrinologist diagnosed him with “a very rare tumour called a Pheochromocytoma” – which grows on the adrenal gland. A CT scan revealed the tumour was malignant and also on his liver.
The 40-year-old guitarist went on to describe the “intense, large, and dangerous” surgery he underwent to remove the tumour.
Gilbert credited “the incredible people put in my life to save me” and praised hospital staff. “I just can’t believe the strength these nurses have,” he wrote.
In 2010, Gilbert had surgery to remove a tumour on his thyroid.