The California native and mother of two young girls briefly fell asleep during a live broadcast on July 29 after spending much of the night caring for her teething 8-month-old daughter while her husband worked an overnight shift.
In a Wednesday (August 5) interview with TODAY, Dillon told hosts Craig Melvin and Laura Jarrett the incident felt like “a nightmare,” but it also revealed “the good side of humanity.”
She said she stayed awake until about 11 p.m. trying to comfort her infant before waking up at 1:30 a.m. to prepare for work.
Dillon said she didn’t realize she had dozed off until FOX13 Memphis meteorologist Brittani Dubose quietly called her name from across the studio. When she opened her eyes, the broadcast was already transitioning to the next shot.
“I was pinching myself under the desk like this has to be a nightmare,” Dillon recalled.
As the clip rapidly spread online, viewers flooded social media with words of support and encouragement, with many parents saying they could relate to the exhaustion that comes with balancing work and raising young children.
“Those morning shifts are so challenging,” one Instagram user wrote. “Let’s give her some grace and support.”
The day after the broadcast, Dillon reflected on the moment in a social media post, writing, “Every morning, you have two choices: continue to sleep with your dreams or wake up and chase them.”
Dillon said she hopes the viral moment reminds parents to give themselves grace.
“I just want parents to know you’re doing a good job,” she said. “To the mothers out there, those long nights—they’re worth it.”
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