Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Heggtveit akaberekerwa muOttawa, Ontario, uye akakurira muNew Edinburgh, nzvimbo iri nechokuchamhembe kwakadziva kumabvazuva. Akakurudzirwa kupinda muAlpine skiing nababa vake, Halvor Heggtveit, mukwikwidzi wenyika yeCanada uyo akakwanisa kupinda muMitambo yeOlympic yechando muna
1932, asi haana kukwikwidza. Vabereki vake vakanga vatama vachibva kuNorway vachienda kuNorth Dakota. Akadzidza kuita ski kuCamp Fortune ski nzvimbo iri pedyo neGatineau Hills yeQuebec, kuchamhembe kwakadziva kumadokero kweOttawa, uye aive mudzidzi paLisgar Collegiate Institute muOttawa. Heggtveit akanga ari chishamiso mumakwikwi eski, akakokwa pazera ramakore manomwe kuti ashumire somutungamiri kumakwikwi ekutsika muLake Placid muna 1946.