About Us

Hey, I’m Gilbert — founder of The Bench Crew.

When I was four, my dad left. By six, I knew he wasn’t coming back. I wanted that father-son bond badly, but I realized something early: if I ever wanted that kind of relationship, I’d have to wait until I was the dad.

Back in middle school, I’d spend Fridays searching the online white pages, writing down every “maybe” address that could be his. I convinced my mom to loan me $32 for stamps and started mailing letters — nearly a hundred of them. Most never came back, but one day, one did. That letter connected me to my oldest brother, Richard — and it just so happened my dad was visiting him when it arrived.

For the first time, I had a way back to him.

But a few months later, my brother Richard died in a car accident. It crushed me — and it crushed my dad too. Looking back, that loss changed him. He was never quite the same after losing his firstborn.

Over the years, my dad and I had our ups and downs. We’d talk for months, then go silent for a year. He came to my last high school hockey game — I scored the overtime shootout winner that night, and I could see how proud he was. It’s one of my favorite memories.

After that, life got complicated. I went through my own dark season, and at one point, I almost didn’t make it through. But I did — and I got stronger for it. My dad and I had one of our best talks a few years later when I told him I’d quit drinking. He told me he was proud, said he never could. A few months later, he called me again — asked how I pulled myself out of that dark place. I didn’t have an answer. Then, not long after, he took his own life.

We never got the relationship I dreamed of. But in losing him, I learned something deeper. I understood his pain. And I made a promise to myself — that one day, I’d be the kind of father I always wanted to have.

My wife and I fought through years of infertility. Three doctors told us it wasn’t possible. We even tried adoption, but no family picked us. Then, right when we were about to be taken off the list, she got pregnant. Against every odd.

When our son, Bauer, was born, everything changed. I didn’t have that father-son relationship right away — but I knew I finally had the chance to build it. I’d waited my whole life for that moment, and there was no way I was going to waste it. It felt like I finally got my shot at the plate, and I wasn’t leaving without cranking it out of the park.

That’s what The Bench Crew is all about. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about showing up — through the noise, the chaos, the good days, and the hard ones — and being the dad your kid can count on.

Our Mission:
We believe every parent deserves a bench — a place to sit, breathe, and connect with their kids and each other. The Bench Crew exists to remind you that the best moments aren’t always polished — they’re real, messy, and full of heart.