Bzdel was born to Ukrainian immigrants in Wishart, Saskatchewan, Canada, on July 21, 1930, the 11th of 14 children in his family.
Bzdel naceu nunha familia de inmigrantes ucraínos en Wishart, na provincia canadense de Saskatchewan, o 21 de xullo de 1930, sendo o décimo primeiro dos catorce fillos que tiveron os seus pais.