Gibson was one of 31 people killed when a Marine transport helicopter crashed in a sandstorm Jan. 26, 2005. He was known in Merrimack for the leadership qualities that made him quarterback of the football team, and for making friends with a wide range of people. His mother said serving in Iraq was different from what he'd expected. "He said he wanted to sit down and talk about what he had been through," she said. "Now we'll never know." He had been scheduled to leave Iraq Feb. 12.