<P> Jack died when his children were 17, and Kate keeps his ashes with her . On the night of the Super Bowl, Jack, Rebecca, Kate, and Randall go to bed for the night (Kevin was at a party with his girlfriend Sophie). Previously, a smoke alarm was shown to be missing batteries, and thus be inoperable . An old slow cooker given years previous by a neighbor was shown to have a faulty switch, which sparked and flamed, setting a towel and the house ablaze . </P> <P> Jack saved Kate and Randall from the fire by guiding them to his and Rebecca's bedroom . He then hoisted them down from the first story roof . Kate was worried about her dog, so Jack went back inside and got the dog and other family pictures . Jack was hospitalized for smoke inhalation, which caused stress on his heart and eventually caused fatal cardiac arrest . </P> <P> Rebecca Pearson née Malone (born 1950 or 1951), portrayed by Mandy Moore, is Jack's widow, Miguel Rivas' second wife (after Jack died), and the mother of Kevin, Kate, and Randall . </P> <P> She strives to be a better mother to her children, and has issues with Jack's alcoholism . She has always known that William is Randall's father, but kept them apart as she was afraid that he would try to take Randall back . </P>

Who plays kate's mother on this is us