Obituary of Ole Heie

"Ole" Erik Olaf Heie
(February 11, 2009 - July 10, 2021)

Erik Olaf (Ole) Heie, precious and beloved son and brother, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, July 10^th, 2021 at the age of 12, while running on the trails at Miquelon Lake Provincial Park. Favourite teammate, dedicated training partner, faithful friend and honourable competitor; Ole’s joy and kindness will be remembered and dearly missed.

Ole was born on February 11, 2009 in Edmonton, Alberta, early in the morning and incredibly happy, to Robert and Leigh Heie of Kingman, Alberta. An early riser from the very beginning, Ole’s infectious smile and pure joy lit up the world around him throughout his entire life. Ole was gifted in so many things and his accomplishments throughout his young life were immeasurable. He was extremely musical, where his talents extended to the ukulele, guitar, flute and piccolo. He was a proud and independent farm kid, exploring the family land with full imagination at every opportunity, working hard and beginning to learn the family business of farming. He was a conscientious student, studying in French-Immersion and the dream pupil of every Teacher’s career. Ole also loved to write. He was a very talented and thoughtful writer and had one day hoped to write a book. Cross country skiing, biathlon, running, swimming, mountain biking and road cycling became important passions and talents that Ole chose to pursue, gaining endless skills and friendships along the way.

A lifelong member of the Camrose Ski Club and Jr. Vikings, nothing made Ole smile bigger than heading down the trail chasing the 'big kids' on an after-school practice! A driven and dedicated athlete, Ole recently crushed some impressive goals, powered by gummies, of course - reaching 1000 km in just the first 54 days of the last ski season, making national news with his one-day 100km ski, and completing his first ultra marathon this spring. Whether he whizzed by, blond hair flowing, on his roller skis at Mirror Lake, down the dipsy-doodles, or at a race in the mountains, Ole’s adventurous passion and positive spirit was infectious to all who had the honour of sharing the trail.

From classmates to fellow athletes to coaches, Olympians, Strava and Instagram buddies around the world, teachers to music instructors, Ole was comfortable being himself and making a connection with any person, regardless of their age. He had a natural way of creating energy that motivated those around him and a determination to wish others well. Although usually one of the first to finish any race, Ole was always the last one to return to the wax tent, for he always diligently cheered every last racer across the finish line. To Ole, sport wasn’t just racing, it was for seeing your friends, celebrating gains, encouraging each other and enjoying the moments. He shared his philosophy as a proud brand ambassador for the Salomon athletic company and enjoyed interacting with other enthusiasts and ambassadors from around the world.

Ole was his sister Ava’s biggest fan, best friend, and loudest cheerleader. As they grew up together, Ava and Ole were inseparable, touching nearly every blade of grass on the family farm, finding fun and working hard side by side with their parents. Together, Ole and Ava were the architects of many family travel adventures, creating cherished memories around the globe. Almost every family trip was planned by the two siblings around something they were interested in, including their latest trip to Greece. Ole, with his family discovered Greece, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Canary Islands, Amsterdam, Madrid, California (in a camper van). They enjoyed camping, canoeing and loving the great outdoors as a family throughout Canada and the US and especially beautiful Manitoba. Ole loved exploring and his ambitious nature took the Heie’s to experience the most amazing places, often in the quiet of an early morning, while everyone was still sleeping. From Ole-initiated family rides around home to magical runs (every single run with Ole was magical) towards Ancient Olympia, each moment with Ole was a treasured gift for his proud parents. Each and every day, Ole worked and dreamed towards one day competing in the Olympics and becoming a fifth-generation farmer. He continues to be an inspiration to all who knew and loved him.

Ole’s kind character and love for the outdoors will be greatly missed. As we all navigate the heartbreaking grief of his passing, we hope that you will find comfort with Ole’s spirit on the trail and by sharing some gummies and memories of Ole with friends.

Left to cherish Ole’s memory are his best friend and sister, Ava Heie; parents, Robert and Leigh; grandparents Jean Heie of Camrose and Randy and Gwen Usick of Minnedosa, MB; honourary grandparents John and Linda Cummings of Wetaskiwin, AB; great baba Mary Usick of Minnedosa, great grandfather Art Bayes of Brandon, MB; aunts and uncles Nolan Heie of Calgary, Randi (Corey) Haley of Spruce Grove, Kim (Mike) Speiss of Neepawa, MB; cousins Theo, Harrison, Wiley and Bodhi; his fellow Jr. Vikings athletes and countless friends. He was predeceased by his paternal grandfather, Donald Heie.

A celebration of Ole’s amazing life was held on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 at 10:30 AM.

• the celebration will be outdoors – where Ole loved to be. 
• if you wish, you can bring a lawn chair or a blanket to sit on.
• please park at Camrose Regional Exhibition to catch the Park & Ride to the trail. Shuttles will depart between 9-10:30 AM, courtesy of Battle River School Division.
• guests are encouraged to wear their favourite running clothes in honour of Ole and are invited to join the family for a short run/walk around the Ole Loop prior to returning to Camrose Regional Exhibition for a reception and slideshow.
• in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Camrose Ski Club in memory of Ole.
• for those unable to be present at the celebration, the program will be recorded and shared at a later time.

A recording of the service is available by following this link: https://vimeo.com/578282390/8047071d52

The Snowbirds will be dedicating their Heart Formation in memory of Ole during their air show in Camrose this weekend. 

If family and friends so desire, in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Camrose Ski Club in memory of Ole.