WWE star CM Punk entered the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans with hopes of climbing the ladder, grabbing the briefcase and earning a world title shot anywhere, any time.
But he appeared to be wrestling with a heavy heart.
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Punk was wearing a sharp white jacket with the “ChadBall” on the right side of his chest. WWE announcer Corey Graves pointed out that the phrase was in honor of the late New Found Glory founding member Chad Gilbert, who died at the age of 45 after a bout with adrenal cancer.
When Gilbert’s death was announced last month, Punk paid tribute to the guitarist in a post on Instagram. The photo showed Gilbert playing with Punk’s dog Larry, who also passed away earlier this year.
“This isn’t goodbye. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he captioned the post.
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Gilbert had battled adrenal cancer since 2021 and underwent brain surgery in February when doctors found tumors.
“On the morning of September 20th, Chad Everett Gilbert passed away peacefully in his sleep. He left this world surrounded by friends and family and took his final breaths with his wife and mother by his side, just as he wished,” his family and the band wrote in a joint statement on social media on Sept. 20.
“We are devastated and shocked by how quickly he left us, yet so grateful for how peacefully and smoothly he went. The amount of visitors that crowded the hospital lobby at a moment’s notice is a testament to how beloved and cherished Chad was, and always will be. He was a legendary musician, but his favorite accomplishment was being a husband and father. His biggest dreams came true. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, his daughter, Lily, his mother, Jackie, and his brother, Brian.”
Punk had kept Gilbert on his mind during several WWE shows over the years. He dedicated a victory at Bad Blood 2024 to the musician.
Fox News’ Ashley Hume contributed to this report.
