Kathleen Heddle was born on November 27, 1965 in Trail, British Columbia, Canada. She was married to Mike Bryden. She died on January 11, 2021 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
She and rowing partner Marnie McBean won gold medals in the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics, in the coxless pair and double sculls respectively. Heddle also won gold with the women's eight in 1992.