Dominique Dillon, a news anchor for Fox 13 in Memphis, Tennessee, appeared to briefly nod off during a live morning broadcast on Wednesday. The moment was captured on camera as it cut from her colleague Sheila O'Connor's report to Dillon, whose eyes were closed and hands were near her neck.
An Instagram user shared the video, which subsequently gained traction on social media platforms. Following the video's virality, Dillon's colleague Ernie Freeman posted a lighthearted photo of himself and Dillon on Facebook, with Dillon smiling with her eyes closed while resting her head on her hands. Freeman captioned the post, "Now that 'The Big Show' is over, it's time for Dominique Dillon to catch another nap," adding the hashtag #StayWoke.
Dillon shared the photo on her own Facebook page, humorously remarking, "Couldn't even give me a nudge." She also noted that her colleague Brittani Dubose "had my back though."
Social media users have voiced support for Dillon, with many pointing out that she recently welcomed a baby girl and returned to work in April. Comments included sentiments such as "Those morning shifts are so challenging. Let’s give her some grace and support" and "Leave her alone. She has a baby and the regular anchors are always off."
One user added that Dillon is a mother of two, managing a baby and a toddler while fulfilling her reporting duties in Memphis, describing the situation as "HARD!" and affirming that Dillon "does a phenomenal job."
Dillon was recently promoted to anchor the station's weekend newscasts and also reports for "Good Morning Memphis" on weekdays. She joined Fox 13 in 2019, having previously worked at KTAL in Texarkana, Texas.