Published: November 09, 2009 08:19 pm      

‘A fulfilling life’

Gilberts’ home busy with children, pets

DANVILLE — Nine years ago, Bill and April Gilbert and their 4-year-old son, Kristian, came back home to Danville from San Diego, Calif., to be close to family.

“We definitely made the right decision to move back,” Bill said. Since their return to Danville, the family has reached out to make many people’s lives better.

Three years ago, the Gilberts became foster parents and, in September, they legally adopted their son Jon, who is 11.

Bill is serving his second term as Ward 3 alderman for Danville, and three years ago he went back to school to become a registered nurse.

Bill’s father, Willie Gilbert, is wheelchair-bound. He lives with them, and they have converted their home to make it accessible for him.

“We have a very fulfilling life,” April said. “I believe that God had a plan when he brought us back to Danville.”

Bill and April met when they were juniors at Danville High School. At that time, April was already engaged to someone else. “But as soon as I saw Bill, I decided I would break off my engagement if he would date me,” she said.

They married after graduation and Bill joined the U.S. Navy, where he served on the mainland for six years. “We lived all over the place,” April said. “Our last assignment was in San Diego, which we liked. But we decided that we really needed to be back here with family.”

The Gilberts couldn’t have any more children after Kristian and didn’t want him to be an only child. So three years ago, they decided to become trained as foster parents through Catholic Charities of Danville.

‘Go for it’

“I’d encourage anyone who’s interested in becoming a foster parent to go for it,” April said. “It’s very fulfilling, and not as hard as you would think.”

The Gilberts provide respite (short-time) and long-term care for younger children, because they want their son to always be the oldest child in the home. The Gilberts admit that at times it was difficult to keep foster children who acted out.

“But our adopted son, Jon, fits right in with the family,” Bill said. “He and Kristian play and argue just like brothers.”

Since Jon came to live with the Gilberts almost two years ago, he has improved his grades exponentially. He gets straight A’s in fifth grade at East Park Elementary School. He’s a Boy Scout, and as a library helper he reads to the younger students.

“When I first came here, I knew I would want to stay for a long time, because this is the first place that I felt safe,” Jon said. “After about six months I started calling April and Bill ‘Mom’ and ‘Dad.’ I feel this is my home now.”

Kristian is in seventh grade at North Ridge Middle School, where he’s in the Red Coats Show Choir and plays saxophone in the band. In Boy Scouts, he’s also a member of the Order of the Arrow.

Both boys played baseball at Producer’s Park last summer, and Bill was their coach. “We only won one game,” Kristian was quick to say, “but we had fun.”

Bill also is a Boy Scout leader, and he takes the boys golfing at Harrison Park.

The Gilberts have been caring for a 2-year-old foster child for about a month now, and they expect to take in an 8-year-old boy shortly. Kristian is agreeable to having so many extra brothers and sisters in the family, and he’s a big help with the little ones.

April said, “As a foster parent you have to adjust to different personalities, problems and temperaments. It’s heartbreaking what some of these children have gone through.”

Bill compares foster parenting to his work as an alderman. “Parenting is almost as challenging as city council,” he said. “But at least with parenting, you know what to expect next.”

April works at Walgreens Accounting as a Medicaid billing specialist, and Bill works weekends and evenings as a nurse at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. Grandpa Willie has a lot of experience cooking at Boy Scout camps, so he typically makes the family some of their favorite dinners.

A life change

Before he went to Lakeview School of Nursing, Bill was in the electronics business. At that time, he and April were in a bad motorcycle accident, and they were thankful to come through it alive.

“Lying in the hospital bed, I decided that I needed to do more with my life,” Bill said. So he quit his current job and signed up for nursing school. “I love this profession,” he said. “It’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.”

Kristian turned 13 recently. Every birthday he gives his Mom a red rose for every year of his life. “I loved getting 13 roses this year,” April said.

The Gilberts’ caring nature isn’t limited to people. They have two dogs, two cats, a bearded dragon lizard, a guinea pig, a hamster, a Quaker parrot, and two aquariums with fish and lizards.

Bill is a member of the Masonic Lodge, and he and April also belong to a billiards league that plays on Thursday nights.