'Hard to believe it': Friends mourn Yukon bear attack victims

Friends are rememberingValrie Thort as a strong and dynamic woman, a nature-lover, and a pillar of Yukon's francophone community.

The 37-year-old was killed by a grizzly bear on Monday, along with her 10-month-old daughter Adele Roesholt. The two were alone at their remote trapping cabin at the time. The baby's father, GjermundRoesholt, found their bodies and shot the bear dead when he returned from a day checking his trapline.

"It's so hard to believe it," said Madeleine Piuze, one ofThort's closest friends in Yukon.

"She will be remembered as a woman so strongand positive and loving and generous and respectful and respectful of nature, as well. Like, she was just a nature lover," she said.

"Just an amazing woman. The best friend ever."

The family's cabin is northeast of Mayo, Yukon, near the N.W.T. border. Piuzesays GjermundRoesholtcame home toWhitehorse on Tuesday, to be greeted by friends. She says theygathered Tuesday eveningto grieve and offer support.

"We feel so lucky that he was willing to come withus, and it made a big difference for us and probably for him too to feel that we were all together," she said.

"He was just able to speak to the group about what he's been through and about how they were happy, before, on the trapline, and how beautiful it was."

Thort, originally from Quebec, and Roesholt, originally from Norway,had their trapline for about three years, and harvested wolves, foxes, lynx and other animals.Thortwould designand sell products made from the fur, whileRoesholtalsoworkedas a wilderness guide.

They were spending several months at their trapline this fall, whileThortwas on maternity leave from her job as a French immersion teacher in Whitehorse.

"It was the time of their life," Piuze said.

A tight-knitcommunity

Thortmoved to Yukon more than a decadeago. She made a lot of friends in the years since, many of them throughthe territory's francophone association.

Yukon's francophone community is tight-knit there are only about1,500 people in the territorywho considerFrench their first language, and most live in Whitehorse.

"[Thort]was a young woman, full of energy, known across the community because she was involved in many things," said Isabelle Salesse, executive director of L'Associationfranco-yukonnaise (AFY).

"It's like a domino effect, and everybody is affected by this news."

Twelve years ago, Yukon's francophone community was devastated by another fatal bear attack.Jean-FranoisPag, 28, was mauled to death by a grizzly while staking mining claims near Ross River.

Salessesays Pag also remembered as a dynamic and adventurous spirit is still missed. She believes the loss ofThortand baby Adele will have a similarly lasting impact.

"It involves a baby, and it involves someone who did so much good to the community and was so positive it's just unthinkable," she said.

"What struck me was that [Thort]was always smiling.She had this huge smile... her baby was following the same way."

On Thursday, AFYwillopen its doors in Whitehorse to anyonewho wants to be together, or may need support. The group has invited a registered psychotherapist to be on hand, from 2:30 to 9 p.m.,for anyone who wants to talk.