Memphis news anchor Dominique Dillon is getting plenty of support after an exhausting parenting night followed her all the way to the anchor desk.
The FOX13 “Good Morning Memphis” anchor went viral after she briefly fell asleep during a live broadcast on July 29. Dillon could be seen resting her head in her hands with her eyes closed before realizing she was still on camera.
Dillon later appeared on TODAY and explained that she had gotten only about two hours of sleep the night before. The mother of two said her husband was working a double shift while she stayed awake trying to comfort their teething 8-month-old daughter.
She finally got to sleep around 11 p.m., only to wake up at 1:30 a.m. to prepare for work. Dillon said she did not even realize she had fallen asleep during the broadcast until meteorologist Brittani Dubose called her name from across the studio.
Instead of dragging Dillon online, many viewers offered words of encouragement, especially fellow parents who understand how difficult it can be to balance work, children and a lack of sleep.
Her viral moment has opened up a bigger conversation about working parents and exhaustion. Sometimes being tired does not mean you're failing. It simply means you're carrying a lot.