Retiree News

You could call Wilbert Nelson Gilbert a relentless optimist. After 33 years in the classroom, he retired with a full slate of plans for his next chapter. But at age 68, he received the first of two cancer diagnoses — news that might crush the spirit of many. Instead, he saw it as another challenge to meet head-on.

“What do I do now?” Gilbert asked his doctor after hearing he had non-Hodgkin lymphoma in December 2017. While his daughter sat beside him visibly upset, his mind had already shifted to the path forward.

This practical outlook carried Gilbert through approximately 100 chemotherapy sessions. When doctors later discovered a second cancer in 2020, he faced it with the same can-do attitude and humor he’d shown throughout his life.

“I told my oncologist, ‘You do whatever you need to do to save my life,’” Gilbert recalls. “I don’t care if you told me to put a chicken on my head and walk down 29 North.”

His good spirits affected everyone around him, with nurses, doctors and hospital custodians responding in kind to his positive energy.

“Laughter is a form of therapy in itself,” he says.

A Lifetime of Connections

Before his health challenges, Gilbert had a long career in Virginia’s public schools. The Martinsville native began teaching fifth grade in Lynchburg in 1972 after graduating from St. Paul’s College.

He later earned a master’s degree from what is now the University of Lynchburg and served as an administrator in several districts, including Bedford County and Culpeper.

Gilbert originally dreamed of becoming an actor, but his life took a different path. He pursued education instead and came to see teaching as a type of performance art.

“I felt that the classroom became my stage, and the students were my audience,” he says.

Gilbert made connecting with students his priority. He paid special attention to those who were sometimes overlooked.

“I made it a point to treat all of my students equally regardless of their background,” Gilbert says. “I learned to look beyond negative behavior and understand their needs.”

When he retired from Floyd T. Binns Middle School in 2013, more than 1,000 students gathered to say goodbye. They created a banner reading “We love you, Mr. Gilbert.”

Sharing Hope With Others

Today, Gilbert draws on his experiences to help others facing similar challenges. His book, “Blue Ridge Hopeful,” chronicles his journey through cancer. He also posts encouraging messages on social media.

“I have this need within me to let people know what I went through and how I handled it,” he says.

Now 77, Gilbert continues sharing perhaps his most important lesson: Face life’s challenges with trust in medical professionals, a positive outlook and a sense of humor.

“You’ve got to stay strong,” he says simply.