'Always smiling' Brielle Boisvert was musical, skilled on horseback

Until her sudden death in a freak accident in La Fiesta de los Vaqueros Rodeo Parade on Thursday morning, 5-year old Brielle Boisvert was simply "a shining star," in the words of those who knew her best.

The stunning loss has left Sonoita, the quiet ranching village where Brielle grew up, struggling mightily to handle its grief, along with the thousands of Tucsonans who witnessed the tragedy.

"She was the most beautiful little girl I've ever seen — she was always smiling, always happy," said Nancy Hadden, Brielle's Bible-school teacher in Sonoita, 50 miles southeast of Tucson.

Summing up Brielle's impact on those around her, another close family friend, Shelly Scriven, said: "Let me tell you, this little girl was a shining star."

One of four children of Tom and Donnell Boisvert — who live in the Rain Valley area east of Sonoita — Brielle grew up in a close-knit, devout family, surrounded by music and horses, with firm ties to church and community.

"This is just an all-American rural family, very much into the lifestyle of western America — almost a storybook family, in a way," said Erik Powell, pastor of the Sonoita Bible Church, which the Boisverts attended for several years.

"They are very musical, very talented — they all sing and play together. They're active together in church and civic activities. You love them.

"This is so devastating … to have this happen to someone so tiny."

Though she was only 5, Brielle already was earning her "star" title — mastering the violin, the mandolin and the guitar as part of the Boisvert Family Band with her parents and siblings, who play at weddings, churches, schools, festivals and county fairs around Southern Arizona.

Little as she was, friends described her as a skilled rider who competed in junior rodeos and gymkhana horse shows in the area, and this summer was crowned the Sonoita Rodeo's "Little Miss" — the title that brought her to the Tucson parade on Thursday.

Along with her older sister, Brooke, Brielle was part of the Sonoita Rodeo Royalty entry of four youngsters on horseback, which also included Sonoita's rodeo queen, April Scriven, 17.

As the last of that entry's riders, it was Brielle's horse that took the violent hit from the frightened, bolting horses pulling a wagon behind her.

"I feel terrible for the parents because they were right there when it happened — they walked the whole route," said Shelly Scriven, April's mother, of Hereford.

"This is going to stay with the girls forever. They are devastated, they saw the whole thing. My heart goes out to the parents.

"This is a nightmare."

Brielle's mother, Donnell, ran immediately to her daughter's side as the wagon rolled over her, while her father, Tom prayed over her.

"He prayed, 'Lord may you be glorified, even as I don't understand,' " said Marc Hill, pastor of Skyline Church in Benson, who was with the family at the scene.

Known for their strong faith and church activism in the Sonoita area, the Boisverts were holding hard to that faith in the hours after their daughter's death, said Steve Lindsey, an area rancher and pastor of the Canelo Cowboy Church, which the Boisverts attend.

"I was with (Donnell) and she said the outpouring of love of those who watched what happened … the compassion was so great and she wants to thank those people," said Lindsey, who raced to Tucson from Canelo to join the family after the accident.

Photographs posted on the family's Web site — titled "Boisvert Family Music" — show Brielle riding her horse in a Sonoita field, and "jamming" with her family in their living room. Brielle and her twin brother, Braden, are singing into karaoke microphones, while her older sister, Brooke, plays her fiddle and daddy Tom is strumming his guitar.

"She was a very capable little cowgirl," said Howard Mangum, of Sierra Vista, whose daughter Kristin, 11, held the "Little Miss" title two years ago and was a friend of Brielle's.

"Just in the last couple years, her riding abilities grew by leaps and bounds. She was very happy in the saddle, very much on her own on a horse.

"I don't think anyone, even an adult, could have stayed in the saddle when this happened."

In "a state of shock" is how rancher Byrd Lindsey described Brielle's hometown, now in deep mourning.

"We are all just devastated — this is going to take a long time," he said.

"I don't know how we can handle something like this."

To Help

Condolences and donations for the family of Brielle Boisvert may be sent to Skyline Baptist Church, c/o Pastor Steve Lindsey, 2858 Skyline Road, Benson AZ 85602.