Written by David Bruce of GoErie.com

Mackenzie Troyan has been proud to follow in the footsteps of her older sister, Taylor.

The 22-year-old Butler native chose to become a registered nurse, just like Taylor Troyan did. She also attended Penn State Behrend, where her sister was already enrolled.

The two sisters even played together for a season on the Behrend women’s soccer team.

“Whatever Taylor did, I wanted to do,” Mackenzie Troyan said.

The sisters’ journey together has taken them to UPMC Hamot, where they work together in a unit that treats patients with COVID-19.

Mackenzie Troyan is caring for patients, while Taylor Troyan was on light duty before she was scheduled to undergo back surgery on April 16.

“I remember the day she texted me that she volunteered to be a COVID nurse,” said Taylor Troyan, 25. “I was scared for her.”

Mackenzie Troyan said it was a logical choice.

“I’m only 22 and I have no kids,” said Mackenzie Troyan, who is engaged. “We have a lot of nurses who are pregnant or have young families. It just made sense.”

Hamot and other Erie County hospitals have been fortunate to have relatively few COVID-19 patients during the first six weeks of the pandemic.

Each time Mackenzie Troyan walks into a COVID-19 patient’s room, she must suit up in full personal protective equipment to reduce her chances of getting infected.

“We wear an N95 mask, a face shield, gloves and a gown when we go in,” Mackenzie Troyan said. “And you just have to be especially conscious about what you come into contact with while you are in there.”

The Troyans lean on each other to deal with the pandemic and the other, more routine, stresses of being a nurse.

It’s not unusual for Mackenzie Troyan to text her sister late at night when she’s working. But Taylor Troyan said her little sister has been going a great job.

“To see how she has grown as a nurse in just 10 months has been great,” said Taylor Troyan, who has been a nurse for five years.

The two sisters come from a nursing family, though neither of their parents are nurses.

They remember playing nurse as children, much to the delight of their grandmother.

“I enjoy being able to help people, especially at the worst times of their lives,” Mackenzie Troyan said. “To be able to comfort them, and their families, is important to me.”

Taylor Troyan is taking classes to become a nurse practitioner, though the pandemic has delayed her graduation.

She wants to continue working at Hamot with its critical-care team.

Becoming a nurse practitioner also sounds good to her little sister.

“Definitely in the future. I can’t do anything Taylor doesn’t do,” Mackenzie Troyan said with a laugh.