Will Gilbert, a well-known Asheville entrepreneur and co-founder of Oasis Recovery, has passed away, leaving behind a community of friends, colleagues, and people whose lives he touched through his work in addiction recovery.
Tributes began pouring in on social media shortly after the news broke, with those who knew him expressing shock and grief over the sudden loss.
Alexander Gibbons, a close friend of Gilbert, shared an emotional post on Facebook that captured the sentiment felt by many.
“I feel like it was just yesterday we were celebrating your clean time. I love you Will Gilbert, always have, always will,” Gibbons wrote.
The post drew immediate responses, with friends stunned by the news. Zach Smith, another acquaintance, simply responded, “Dude, wtf happened?” reflecting the disbelief many felt upon hearing of his passing.
Breezy Fleming also posted a tribute, writing, “Life is so fragile. Rest peacefully, Will Gilbert,” a reminder of how quickly things can change and how deeply one person can impact those around them.
A Life Built Around Recovery and Community
Gilbert was perhaps best known for co-founding Oasis Recovery, a recovery organization based in North Carolina that he helped build starting in February 2018. For Gilbert, the work was not simply professional.
Friends who celebrated his own clean time with him understood that his journey through sobriety shaped his commitment to helping others find their way through addiction. That personal connection to recovery gave his work at Oasis a depth that resonated with clients, staff, and the broader community.
Beyond Oasis Recovery, Gilbert was a busy and driven entrepreneur. He owned Asheville Waterproofing Company in Buncombe County, North Carolina, and more recently became co-owner of Exotic Aces, a business he launched in 2024.
He had also previously worked as a sales consultant at Hyundai of Asheville and studied through the IBEW and JATC Apprenticeship Program. Gilbert had roots in Saint Albans, West Virginia, and built much of his adult life in the Asheville area, where he became a familiar and respected figure.
His Facebook profile showed over 4,300 friends, a number that speaks to how widely he connected with people across different walks of life.
Whether through his recovery work, his business ventures, or simply through the relationships he nurtured over the years, Gilbert had a presence that extended well beyond any single community.
A Legacy That Will Not Be Forgotten
The outpouring of grief following news of his death reflects just how much Will Gilbert meant to people. He was someone who had faced his own struggles, worked through them, and channeled that experience into building something that could help others do the same.
Oasis Recovery stands as one of the most visible pieces of that legacy, a place built in part because one man believed that recovery was possible and worth fighting for.
Details surrounding the circumstances of his death have not been publicly confirmed, but the loss is being felt widely.
For the friends who celebrated with him in sobriety and the clients who found hope through his work, Will Gilbert represented the possibility of a better life. That memory, and that work, is the legacy he leaves behind.
