WESTLAKE, Ohio — It’s the story of an amazing local teenager already living her dream while helping others at the same time.
What’s incredible about her journey is that it started during the pandemic, and Susan Roberts couldn’t be more proud of her daughter, Mackenzie.
“Seeing her and knowing she has such a big heart for people just makes me proud," she tells 3News.
Combine that heart with passion, diligence and desire and Mackenzie is tough to stop. The North Ridgeville native turned 18 on July 20, but it’s what she did during the pandemic at just the age of 17 that has proved to be a true inspiration.
“I knew what I was getting myself into, I did, I just care so much, and I always wanted to help people,” Mackenzie said.
She always wanted to work in healthcare – following in her mother’s footsteps. After two years at North Ridgeville High School, she graduated with honors from a joint vocational school. Then she took classes at LCCC to become a state-tested nursing assistant.
On her 17th birthday last year, and ironically the cutoff day to be accepted, she took the state test and passed. Two months later, she was hired as an STNA at Concord Reserve in Westlake.
Mackenzie herself caught COVID, but she recovered and throughout the last 11 months has formed bonds with her patients -- especially in the memory care unit. Mackenzie’s ultimate goal is to become a nurse when she is older.
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