But Mackenzie admits she was not always so holy. As a child her nickname was ‘hell on wheels.’ “I had so much energy, but I image I caused a little trouble to get that name. I went through some interesting stages.
Always on the go. For awhile I turned into a sweet little angel, but that subsided during my early high school years especially. I gave my parents just a few early gray hairs.”
She moved a number of times growing up, settling in Seattle, Washington where she believes she will end up someday. She spoke fondly of her family,
“I feel like the luckiest girl in the world, I have the most supportive, loving brothers and incredible, selfless parents. I have three brothers in total, two older and one younger. If I was to pinpoint who it is that best defined my care-free and adventurous childhood, the ease with with I have learned to socialize with just about anyone, and really who I am today, it is definitely my brothers. There has always been an unspoken and unbreakable commradery between us that I wouldn’t trade for the world.”
Three brothers?!, I said, Wow are they protective of their only sister? “They are protective in the best way possible. I always joke about how I fear for the guy whom I bring home to meet them, three against one doesn’t make for an easy match up. In reality though, that guy will only be welcomed with kindess and warmth.”
Because of Mackenzie’s Seattle roots, offhanded I asked her if she had heard of Macklemore (ie Ben Haggerty, rapper and musician) before his stardom, who also grew up in Seattle. Her eyes lit up, jumping into a one and million story. Her youngest brother was a huge fan before he was discovered. His fandom ended him in a music video,
“Out of the blue Macklemore’s girlfriend Facebooked Keenan about playing a young Macklemore in one of his music videos. It was his dream came true, this was two summers ago. Macklemore would pick him up in his crazy car every morning for five days.”
The song is called Irish Celebration, “He is the cute little blonde kid who literally gets one second of fame.”
Mackenzie also recently had a one second cameo in a music video, Lonely Island Boys song called ‘Spring Break.’ A friend of Mackenzie’s saw a random ad on campus and before she knew it she was poolside surrounded by a huge spring break-like party.
Life of the party is another great descriptor of Mackenzie, but not in an out of control way. Starting her junior year in high school she made a choice to stop drinking. A decision she did not realize at the time would change everything; from who she hung out with to what she did. It led her to the sport of rowing and establishing a faith journey.
Rowing instilled discipline, the ability to work hard for other people, as well as being mentally and emotionally strong. She described this process as teaching her about, “Letting some things in your life go so you can be fully committed.”
Being part of rowing also seemed to cultivate a deep dedication and faithfulness for the people around her. When asked who inspires her she responded, “Without a doubt, my ‘people’, my closest friends and family.”
A similar response came out when asked, when do you know you have done enough for the day? Her reply, “When I can close my eyes in peace, knowing I’ve made a difference in one persons world, even it if was for a moment. I feel the best, when I have a strong sense of the health of the relationships I share with those most important to me.”
Please read on, by clicking page 4.
