In her own words, Vernon’s Marie-Catherine Bruno reached a lifelong goal with a top-15 placing in a World Cup cross-country ski event in 2011 in California, retiring from racing after that.
Bruno, who died suddenly of an aneurysm Sept.22 at age 47, lived an active life on the trails of Silver Star Mountain, where she moved in 2004 from Whistler, skiing, biking trail running or riding a motorbike practically every day.
Bruno, a former member of Canada’s national orienteering team, also represented the country at Interski, a prestigious telemark event held every four years, and she was the only female instructor in North America to have achieved the highest level of certification in both telemark and cross-country skiing.
She so loved life on the mountain that Bruno joined the Silver Star Fire Department and worked her way to a Captain’s position.
Tributes have been pouring in for the woman affectionately known to friends and family as Cat.
“With every call and message and Facebook post, I realize how Cat reached into people’s lives, made a mark and stayed there,” said her partner, Simon Holden. “Everyone has a story about her, usually one involving her crazy sense of humour or her amazing ability to guide, mentor or inspire.”
Born in Montreal, Bruno grew up on skis in the Laurentian mountains. She spoke no English but learned it studying two hours a week to attend McGill University in Montreal to study physiotherapy.
After graduating in 1994, Bruno was set to start a biomedical engineering Masters degree when she was offered a lecturing job in a rehab program at a Montreal college. At 25, Bruno became the youngest professor on staff.
She taught for a number of years and worked part-time in sports physiotherapy until she moved to Whistler for what turned out to be a five-year stay. She discovered a passion for making custom footbeds at a physio clinic and went back to school to do a diploma in pedorthics.
Bruno was still racing cross-country skiing and had been travelling to and from Silver Star for training/competitions, and felt at home in the North Okanagan, so made the move to the mountain in 2004.
RELATED: Coach goes international
She sold her practice in Whistler and opened a shop in Vernon on Coldstream Avenue, across from Fisher’s Hardware called The Sole Mate Custom Orthotics and Footbeds, which she was still a partner in at the time of her death.
Bruno was heavily involved in firefighting at Silver Star and around the North Okanagan, serving as a fire technician and instructor at the regional training centre off Pottery Road in Vernon.
“There are so many words to describe her, I’m not sure one page is enough,” said Silver Star Fire Chief Russ Mills. “Marie-Cat was a phenomenal asset to our fire department, no question about it.
“She was such a beautiful person. Intelligent, meticulous, tenacious. A phenomenal instructor in our fire hall in her role as captain. She took on any chore you gave her and devoted herself to it with passion.”
Holden has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise enough funds so Bruno’s legacy can “become much more than a one-time donation,” and establish a fund that will continue to offer support in perpetuity.
“Marie-Cat was exceptionally proud of her accomplishments but was also acutely aware of the financial challenges faced in pursuing her dreams,” reads the statement on the GoFundMe page. “By contributing to her fund you will help us to support the next generation of amazing female athletes and instructors in overcoming the financial barriers to their success.”
There will be a pair of memorial services for Bruno on Saturday, Nov. 3, both at Silver Star. One is former family and friends, the other for her firefighting colleagues.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.