Ilaug is educated in marketing and computer science. He made a name for himself for his participation in the rescue work during the terrorist attack on Utøya on July 22, 2011. Ilaug was among the volunteer helpers who were named "Name of the Year" by the newspaper VG in 2011 and who in 2012 were awarded the Torstein Dale Memorial Prize by the Red Cross in Norway, and honored by the Norwegian Lifesaving Society. In the King's Council of State on 15 June 2012, Ilaug was awarded the Medal for noble deed in silver.