Woman with asthma woke to heaviness in her chest at 3 a.m.— her one symptom ended up saving 40 neighbors from tragedy
Sometimes, a small moment of awareness can make the difference between life and death. For Elizabeth Manson, a mother of three from Nanaimo, British Columbia, that moment came at 3 a.m. on December 26, 2025. She woke up to a heaviness in her chest triggering her asthma, a warning that would save 40 neighbors from a devastating tragedy. When a fire broke out in the Value Lodge motel where she and her children were staying, her quick thinking and bravery alerted everyone inside, giving them time to escape. The story was reported by CHEK News, highlighting her courage.
Manson, who had been staying with her children in a second-floor room at the motel on Nicol Street, immediately recognized smoke in the room. "I was right beside the a/c where the smoke was blowing in, and I felt the heaviness in my chest." She woke her children and guided them to safety, then ran through the motel, pounding on doors and calling to residents to alert them in time. “I screamed, ‘Wake up! Fire! You guys, get up now!’ And we ran out with nothing but our shorts, pyjamas, no shoes,” she recalled in conversation with the outlet. Flames spread rapidly, yet she remained determined to alert and help others escape. Her 21-year-old daughter, Tatayana Jimenez, described her mother’s courage despite her asthma, “I’m very proud and impressed, because she has very bad asthma and she was running through this. I was scared for her really badly.” Residents later expressed awe at her actions.
Among those saved was Nakul Joseph, a man who had been asleep when the fire reached his room. He recalled the terrifying moments, “I started choking like right away,” he said, adding that Manson’s warnings were critical to his escape. “And it got me out. It got me outside." Forced to jump from a second-floor balcony with his dog, he survived thanks to her timely alerts. "One of the scariest moments of my life." Emergency responders arrived shortly after to assist those who could not evacuate on their own. In total, seven people were treated at hospitals, while roughly 40 residents managed to get out safely thanks to Manson’s swift action. The fire escalated quickly, and she later said, “I looked up. This is a matter of two minutes, and it was already full on fire,” underscoring how little time they had to react.
Despite saving dozens of lives, Manson and her children lost their temporary home and belongings, joining 35 others displaced by the blaze. Joseph, reflecting on the ordeal, shared, “Everything I have is gone, and I really don’t care. Because I have my dog.” Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the fire, and emergency support has been provided to all affected. Manson emphasized the importance of listening to your instincts: “Hold those you love closely, appreciate every moment you have. I wanted to just go back to sleep. But something in me made me get up, and I said, ‘Oh God, something is burning.’”