Daughter follows in mother’s footsteps in career at Detroit Medical Center
May 10, 2021DETROIT – When Nicole Malloy was a little girl, her grandfather had a massive brain aneurysm that left him paralyzed.
For years she watched her mom, Sherri Wirick, balance taking care of her grandfather while working at the Detroit Medical Center. Wirick has worked at the DMC for 37 years. Malloy was inspired to follow in her mother’s footsteps and now works at the DMC with her.
“I really honest to God value every single second I have with her,” said Malloy.
For 13 years, this mother and daughter duo have worked together at the DMC.
“Typically we drive into work together. Then we meet again for lunch. And then we meet again at 5 p.m. to go home,” said Wirick.
She is her daughter’s support at work.
“If I have a crappy morning, I at least get to see her at lunchtime and I can vent or you know, it’s just nice being able to spend that one on one time with her,” said Malloy.
“We’re both foodies, so probably lunch is the best part,” said Wirick.
Wirick is the secretary to the CEO at the Rehab Institute in Michigan and Malloy is a physical therapist assistant at DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital.
“I would be lost at work without her. I literally would I call her for everything. So it’s kind of nice, but I get to utilize my own mom as my personal information book,” said Malloy.
Wirick views this as an opportunity to spend time with her daughter.
“I tell her all the time that on one hand I looked forward to retiring, but on the other hand, I don’t want to because then I won’t see her as much and be able to spend as much time with her,” she said.
When the pandemic hit the two had to adjust.
“When I have to work with COVID patients, I contemplated do we drive separate because I have direct patient care contact, so we made a little system work for us,” said Malloy.
They admit it’s not always rainbows and butterflies.
At the end of the day both say they wouldn’t trade their bond for the world and are grateful to celebrate Mother’s Day side by side.