Cavs owner Dan Gilbert opens up on son Nick’s battle with rare disease, life after loss

Dan Gilbert has worn plenty of titles over the years. Billionaire entrepreneur. Owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Chairman of Rocket Companies.

But in a deeply personal interview with CNBC, Gilbert made it clear the role that mattered most to him was being a father.

Gilbert spoke openly about the life and loss of his oldest son, Nick Gilbert, who died in 2023 following a long battle with neurofibromatosis, or NF, a rare genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerve tissue. There is currently no cure.

Nick developed his first tumor shortly after birth. Gilbert recalled years of surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments as the disease progressed.

“There were some tumors, that just kind of got away from us,” Gilbert said. “We had two major surgeries that year. And from that point on, until 2023 when we lost him, there were just surgeries and chemo.”

Despite the challenges, Nick remained a visible and beloved figure around the Cavaliers organization and throughout Cleveland, often recognized for his trademark bow tie and appearances alongside his father at NBA events, including the draft lottery.

“He always believed that he was going to get through all this,” Gilbert said.

Search for a cure

Gilbert told CNBC that Nick’s battle reshaped his family’s mission.

Through the Gilbert Family Foundation, the family now contributes roughly $50 million annually toward NF research and related causes. The foundation has partnered closely with the Children’s Tumor Foundation and helped fund research tied to FDA-approved treatments for inoperable NF tumors.

“We raised $12 million in one night,” he said. “We keep breaking records. We’re contributing about $50 million a year to research.”

He added that the work remains deeply personal.

“He was my hero. In his legacy and his honor, we’re still, to this day, trying our hardest to wipe this disease off the planet,” he said. 

The full CNBC feature also detailed Gilbert’s recovery from a 2019 stroke and the emotional toll Nick’s death had on the family, including his divorce.

“I mean, when you’re dealt a card, like I was dealt with the stroke or my son, you just have to get the next card and try to play it … I mean things you can’t control,” Gilbert said. “So you work on the things you try to control.”

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