“I didn’t want to make a mistake or be the reason why something horrible happened,” Gilbert said. "And my dad just said, ‘You don’t know if it’s going to be a day, a week or the rest of your life. ... Might as well go up there and have fun and enjoy yourself. And if you get sent down, then at least you go, OK, I did it the way I wanted to and felt comfortable and wasn’t afraid of the moment.’