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A local morning anchor in Tennessee is ironically making news for unintentionally dozing off during a live on-air segment.Dominique Dillon, a Memphis-based reporter at Fox 13, quietly rested her eyes for a few seconds during the July 29 episode of "Good Morning Memphis," earning her the title of "Sleeping Beauty" from co-anchor Ernie Freeman.“I opened my eyes, and it was cutting to the next shot, and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, I can’t believe this just happened to me,’” Dillon told Craig Melvin and Laura Jarrett on "Today". “I am mortified. I was pinching myself under the desk like, ‘This has to be a nightmare.’ Like one of those work nightmares, because this is not my life right now.”Here's more on Dillon's drowsy experience.Just a day in the life of a momThe anchor said her snooze was the result of single-handedly managing two babies the night before, as her husband worked a double shift. Dillon is mom to 2-year-old Dakota and 8-month-old Delilah, born Dec. 2, 2025.“I was trying to get them down to sleep at 8 o’clock, but my 8-month-old, she wasn’t having it,” Dillon said on the "Today" show. “She was teething, and I just couldn’t console her. I gave her some teething medicine, and nothing was working. The next thing you know it’s 10:30, 11 o’clock before I can actually get her down to sleep."Dillon said she only had a couple hours to rest before waking up for work. The anchor, who has been with Fox 13 since 2019, according to her bio, typically wakes up at 1:30 a.m. to prep for her early morning anchor shift from 4:30 to 5 a.m.The anchor said her mini nap happened so quickly that even the producers did not know how to respond.“They’re there, but they didn’t think I was sleeping,” Dillon said. “They thought I was simply looking down at my tablet, because who falls asleep in one minute, sitting up, in front of cameras?”Internet, Fox 13 defends momClips of the segment soon went viral on social media and elicited a variety of reactions. However, many, including her workplace, stepped in to defend the mom of two, who had only returned from maternity leave in April."The incident—or, as we refer to it around the newsroom, 'the power nap'—has garnered national attention, and we couldn't be prouder to have Dominique in the spotlight, highlighting how difficult it can be for new mothers to get back in the groove when returning to work," Fox 13 said in an Aug. 4 article.The media outlet continued, "the rest of the country is being introduced to Dominique for something that usually gets most people in the hot seat in the boss' office: falling asleep on the job," adding "let's be honest, we've all done it."Dillon grateful for supportDillon said though she was "mortified" with the whole incident, she was grateful for the positive support.“It’s not always a nice place, and what I love so much about this situation is that it shows the good side of humanity and that people understand what I’m going through as a mother,” she said. “There (are) so many mothers out there and parents in general who work hard. They show up to work, they give 100%, and then they go home, and that’s like a whole other full-time job as well, and they’re giving 100% to their families.”Fox 13, in a statement to USA TODAY on Aug. 5, said it appreciates its audience for seeing "this as a very relatable moment.""Like so many working parents, Dominique is balancing the demands of raising young children and a career that begins before sunrise," the statement reads. "We’re grateful for the support and grace our audience has shown Dominique.”Prior to appearing on the "Today" show, Dillon, in a post on Facebook, joked she was "heading to New York without the kiddos" and is "about to sleep GOOD & UNINTERRUPTED tonight."Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
