CHEYENNE VAILLANT

CHEYENNE MAE (BRADY) VAILLANT 28 years old August 26, 1997 - January 29, 2026
Although many of our lives became dimmer as of Thursday last week, the sky became a little brighter with one more star in the sky. It is with indescribable pain and sadness to announce the passing of Cheyenne Mae (Brady) Vaillant.

Cheyenne, Chey or Chevy to some, was born to Donna and Ivan Brady on August 26, 1997, where she grew up loving country living in Kakabeka, just outside Thunder Bay, ON. She was lost tragically to all who knew and loved her on January 29, 2026, as a victim to poor highway conditions in a car accident on Hwy 11/17.

It feels impossible to admit the truth of losing Cheyenne, but in the same breath, an honour to have even known her at all. She was an incredibly bighearted and talented woman - truly one of a kind. Those fortunate enough to have experienced the warmth and light she brought into the world were forever changed by it.

In her early years, Chey attended Kakabeka and then Whitefish Elementary School, proudly following the path "paved" for her by her older brother, Dayton. There, she formed several lifelong friendships a reflection of her fierce loyalty. Once Cheyenne considered you a close friend, you became family. She was honoured that some of those friendships, including Leah (Maki) Jackson, Ashley Ranttalo, and Olivia Stowell, endured through the years and that they could stand by her as bridesmaids on her special day.

Growing up, Cheyenne was the constant shadow and best buddy to her father and brother, determined to be in on everything they did and in the process, she became a force to be reckoned with. She was fearless… except when it came to spiders...

Her confident, competent attitude made it clear her bull tolerance was low and her detector was high. All she ever wanted was to make her daddy proud, so she learned to weld, became a skilled driver, a sharp marksman, quite the fishergirl, and someone who could fix just about anything she set her mind to.

From there, she attended Westgate High School, where her talents in art, auto, and welding really shone through anything to get her hands dirty making her mom and dad ever more proud. She thrived in her creativity and curiosity, leaving behind works that still decorate the walls of her childhood home.

Cheyenne went on to try her hand at many different ventures, always pushing herself to learn something new. Her path took her to a wide range of workplaces, including VON with different care homes, LifeLabs, Bombardier, and, most recently, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, where she worked as a Health Clerk. Wherever she went, Cheyenne stood out forming genuine connections, leaving lasting impressions, and being remembered not just for what she did, but for who she was.

In 2019, Cheyenne met the love of her life and was swept off her feet by her perfect counterpart, Nathan Vaillant. When Nathan was not out of town for work, the two were practically inseparable. Their love was infectious the kind of love many people spend a lifetime searching for. Nathan and Cheyenne's love will live on in the hearts of all who witnessed it, forever setting the bar in our memories.

It is of note that Cheyenne's family was heavily involved in racing stock cars, and racing became such a part of her life that racers lining up at Thunder City Speedway in Thunder Bay will forever miss her smiling face guiding them onto the dirt track. In fact, the speedway held such a special place in her heart that when Nathan proposed to her - at the races no less - she dreamed of being married there. On September 7, 2024, that dream became a reality when Cheyenne and Nathan were the first couple ever to be married at the finish line of Thunder City Speedway.

Meanwhile, Nate and Cheyenne had begun building their dream home next door to her parents, moving in just this past September 2025, with Cheyenne happily continuing to perfect every detail. The move allowed her to visit her parents daily, work in the shared chicken coop and collect eggs, hone her green thumb in the vegetable garden alongside her mom, and spend time in the garage with the boys. Most importantly, it put her close enough to look after her small community of people and animals often by not-so-discreetly tossing out their "toxic" products and replacing them with one of her beloved holistic tinctures.

Together, Nate and Cheyenne recently welcomed a new kitty, Baba Yaga, into their home to cause a little mischief and keep both Cheyenne and their old dog, Ruger, on their toes. When Cheyenne met Nathan, the old boy, Ruger, was well accustomed to the bachelor life, so she took it upon herself to turn his health around with a strict regimen of walks and dieting, despite Dad's continued attempts to still feed him bacon. She understood how important Ruger was to Nate, having been by his side through the hardest moments of his life, and she knew he would need his furry best friend to help him through even more difficult days still ahead.

Even though Cheyenne and Nathan were busy just starting the most beautiful stage of their life together, working on family planning and beautifying their new home, between working full time and both working towards their united goals, they still always made time to help their friends and family with anything they needed.

Cheyenne had a gift for taking what nature offered and using it to reduce toxins in her home, add beauty, and enrich the lives of those she loved collecting more and more hobbies over the years and somehow becoming good at them all.

You could see the sparkle in her big, beautiful eyes whenever a new inspiration captured her passion. From raising, naming, and wrangling her own egg-laying gals to dreaming up new ways to organize the garden; from picking wildflowers, harvesting mushrooms, and other forest goodies to hunting and fishing to feed family and friends; from making jerky, tanning hides, baking, and canning literally everything she could to making tallow soaps, body products, and paintings - the list of her talents seems endless.

Known lovingly by her family as "the captain of the ship," Cheyenne was the kind of friend you could count on to show up, roll up her sleeves, get dirty and get the job done. With her grit, knowledge, and generous spirit, she was not only dependable but deeply inspiring a true role model to those who knew her.

If we could all see the world through her lens with her care and concern for others, her thoughtfulness, her awe of nature, and her deep respect and appreciation for all the land has to offer this would be her gift to us.

She is survived by her loving husband, Nathan Vaillant; her proud, adoring parents, Donna and Ivan Brady; her admiring "little" big brother, Dayton Brady, his partner Amber Jakins, and her nephew Reid Brady; her in-laws, Mark Vaillant (Corrie Sitch), and Norma Filipovic; sister-in-law, Erin Longley (Chris) and her nieces, and brother-in-law, Cody Vaillant (Magen); her grandfather, Morris Sutherland; her Godparents, Diana and Cory Petrunak; Gerald Svane; as well as many close aunts, uncles, cousins, other extended family, neighbours, and countless friends, but among her best friends, Jordan McDonald, Leah (Maki) Jackson, Ashley Ranttalo, Olivia Stowell and Ginny Heilman; and her furbabies, Ruger and Baba Yaga.

Although her loss feels insurmountable to many, we know Cheyenne would want us to keep her legacy alive by continuing to explore, care for ourselves, and appreciate the world as she did, now in her place. So the next time you're lining up at the racetrack; settling down for a nap; picking wildflowers; cuddling a cat, a dog, or a chicken for that matter; dropping a line in to fish; or simply taking a walk under the open sky, throw up a salute to our girl, who will forever be watching over us and, let's be honest, probably critiquing that she could have done it better.

Tribute:

Cheyenne will be cremated so that she may return home with her family in Kakabeka. Nathan and her parents will be taking her for one last ride on Saturday, February 7, 2026. The family is kindly requesting that her family and friends help to escort her home safely that day if able, please arrive by vehicle at the Thunder City Speedway pit for 10:00 am, where the family will meet you, to procession Cheyenne from the racetrack to the Kakabeka Legion Branch 255 on Highway 11/17, where you can pull in and give Cheyenne a salute as her family continues on their own from there.

There will be a Celebration of Life held at a later date.

In the meantime, please share your thoughts, memories, and stories of Cheyenne on her Harbourview Obituary page so that all may remember your kind words and fond memories.

www.harbourviewfuneral.ca
Flowers, gifts, or donations:

Cheyenne loved flowers, so they are appreciated by the family, but in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Caring Hearts Cat Rescue and Sanctuary (Thunder Bay) https://caringheartscatrescue.ca/donate/. This would mean a lot to Cheyenne, as it is the rescue that blessed her with her beloved kitty, Baba Yaga. Additionally, Cheyenne and her family would be heart warmed to hear if you were to plant a flower in her honour, somewhere special to you.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to show their love and support to the family.