‘TODAY’ co-anchor Savannah Guthrie and family make tearful plea for mother’s return
The house of Nancy Guthrie, NBC host Savannah Guthrie’s mother, on Wednesday in Catalina, Ariz.KPNX
In a tearful video posted on Instagram, “TODAY” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday pleaded for more information from her 84-year-old mother’s possible kidnapper, saying her family is “ready to talk.”
Subscribe to read this story ad-free
Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content
Savannah Guthrie — reading from prepared remarks, speaking directly to a camera and seated alongside her two siblings — said her family was aware of reports about a ransom letter sent to at least two media outlets. “We are doing everything we can,” she said.
“However,” Savannah Guthrie added, “we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know, without a doubt, that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.”
In the Instagram video, Savannah Guthrie — flanked by her sister, Annie, and her brother, Camron — thanked the public for “the prayers for our beloved mom,” Nancy Guthrie, adding: “We feel them and we continue to believe that she feels them, too.”
She described her mother as a “kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light,” a person who is “funny, spunky and clever.”
“She has grandchildren that adore her and crowd around her and cover her with kisses,” she said. “She loves fun and adventure. She is a devoted friend. She is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her, and you’ll see.”
Savannah Guthrie said her mother’s health and heart are fragile. “She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive and she needs it not to suffer.”
In the closing seconds of the video, the “TODAY” co-anchor spoke directly to her mother: “Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman, you are God’s precious daughter Nancy.”
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her home outside Tucson, Arizona, on Sunday afternoon after she did not show up at church. She was last seen around 9:45 p.m. the previous night, when family members dropped her off at her home.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department believes Guthrie was taken “possibly in the middle of the night, and that includes possible kidnapping or abduction.” State and federal law enforcement officials are involved in the investigation, including the FBI.
In a statement Wednesday, the county sheriff’s department said investigators have not identified a suspect or a person of interest in the case. Authorities previously said they have no credible information that Guthrie’s possible abduction was a targeted incident.
Authorities investigating Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance returned to her Arizona home Wednesday afternoon. The driveway to the property outside Tucson was blocked by a black, unmarked vehicle.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said “detectives are continuing to conduct follow-up at the home and in the neighborhood.”
President Donald Trump said he would commit to sending more resources to help. Trump called Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday after an interview with NBC News’ Tom Llamas, offering words of support for her and her family.
Recommended
Two senior officials briefed on the investigation told NBC News earlier Wednesday that investigators are probing what appears to be blood found outside Guthrie’s home. The officials said Guthrie’s pacemaker appears to have disconnected from its monitoring app early Sunday.
Guthrie has limited mobility, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told reporters Monday. The sheriff said she has no cognitive issues and her disappearance was not linked to dementia, describing her as “sharp as a tack.”
“We have nothing else to go on but the belief that she is here, she’s present, she’s alive, and we want to save her,” Nanos said.
Guthrie has appeared on “TODAY” over the years, endearing herself to anchors and viewers alike. Savannah Guthrie credits her mother with inspiring her religious beliefs.
“The greatest gift my mother gave me was faith and belief in God. It changed my life,” Savannah Guthrie said during a May 2023 episode of “TODAY.”
