Greg Gilbert, Frontman of British Band Delays, Dies at 44 from Bowel Cancer

Greg Gilbert, frontman of the British band Delays, died on Thursday. He was 44.

His brother, Aaron Gilbert, who plays the keyboard for the group, announced the tragic news with a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram.

The indie rock singer's death was caused by bowel cancer, The Guardian reported. The rocker was diagnosed with the disease in 2016, per the outlet.

"I have no idea how to do this right now, but this afternoon at 2:22; we walked my brother back home to somewhere out there in the ether," Aaron wrote alongside a throwback photo of him with his brother.

Aaron shared that his brother died surrounded by "endless love that us and all of you have given him on this journey."

"We will never be able to fully express how much it meant to him (and all of us) to have you by our side, lifting us up like a winged army," Aaron continued.

Addressing fans, Aaron said, "Your messages, your encouragement & your compassion have been our oxygen for the last 5 years."

"He was my brother & my best friend, & we did everything together, & it was the greatest honour to be with him as he took one last gentle breath before leaving us," Aaron shared. "I could have sworn we were limitless... But now that 'is' has become 'was', I need to be mindful that there is still so much majesty out there in the universe, & so much to be thankful for despite the tidal wave of sadness washing over me right now."

He continued, "I'm so lucky to have had a brother to carve out such impossibly beautiful moments with, and to show me the true meaning of grace, courage and strength."

"He is, & always will be in our melodies, & in all the breaths in between, he's in every brush stroke and every piece of art that his mind gave light to... And these are the crutches I'll try my best to lean on when it all feels too heavy," the Delays musician said.

Aaron went on to say that his brother's wish is "that he carried on living through your speakers from horizon to horizon, and through the technicolour delights he's left for us to swim in."

"I'll be singing with him in every blink and every gap and through every teardrop, & I'd love you to do the same, because his life was a chorus & the half life of music is infinite," he wrote. "Thank you for sharing our grief, & for making it easier to carry at times while you were firefighting battles of your own."

Prior to his death, Greg was candid with fans about his experience with the illness. In early August, the Delays frontman shared that he stopped cancer treatment and would be placed in hospice care.

He expressed his fear of uncertainty, writing: "I don't know how long I have and what the days will look like. I'm trying to get home for a couple hours a day to see the kids, energy willing, and I hope I can still find time to create."

Greg continued: "I'm impossibly lucky to have the family and friends I have, as well as all the considerate souls out in cyberspace who regularly beam me their good vibes. I still believe in magic, the power of a good gesture and laughter. I want to fill the days ahead with all of these and so much more. No doubt my social media."

On Sept. 1, he announced on Twitter that he had left hospice care to "stay with my folks."

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Following his 2016 diagnosis, the singer went on to study drawing, painting and poetry at Winchester art school, The Guardian reported. His art is currently on display in Southampton City Art Gallery exhibition and his poetry will be found in a Laureate's Choice collection book.

Greg is survived by his wife, Stacey, and their two children Dali and Bay, per The Guardian.