A Mom’s Middle-Of-The-Night Instinct Saves Dozens From Motel Fire

January 7, 2026

Today's good news story comes from Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada.

A terrifying early-morning fire could have ended in tragedy, but thanks to one brave mom, dozens of lives were spared.

Credit: CHEK Media

A Nanaimo mother of three is being hailed as a hero after helping rescue fellow guests from a motel fire that broke out in the early hours of Boxing Day. According to CHEK News, Elizabeth Manson woke up around 3 a.m. to find smoke filling her family’s rented room at the Value Lodge.

After quickly waking her children, Manson didn’t run straight to safety. Instead, she made a split-second decision that would change everything — she ran door to door through the smoke-filled motel, shouting and pounding on doors to wake anyone who was still sleeping.

“I screamed, ‘Wake up! Fire! You guys, get up now!’” Manson told CHEK News. Families fled with almost nothing, many barefoot and still in their pajamas, as the fire spread rapidly through the building.

Within minutes, flames were already visible. Despite suffering from severe asthma, Manson kept going. Her daughter, 21-year-old Tatayana Jimenez, later said she was incredibly proud of her mother for pushing through the danger to help others escape.

Among those saved was Nakul Joseph, who later met Manson for the first time and immediately hugged her. “Thank you for saving our lives,” he told her. Joseph said he had only seconds to escape and ended up jumping from a second-floor balcony with his dog — calling it one of the scariest moments of his life.

Other motel residents echoed the same sentiment, describing Manson as a hero who gave them the chance to get out alive.

Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews also played a critical role, rescuing several people who were unable to escape on their own. BC Emergency Health Services reported that seven people were taken to hospital following the fire.

Manson, overwhelmed by the aftermath, said she is simply grateful she was awake when it mattered most.

“I almost went back to sleep,” she said in tears. “But something in me made me get up.”