Savannah Guthrie pleads for help finding Nancy Guthrie
Savannah Guthrie shared an emotional Instagram post as the search for Nancy Guthrie enters its fifth month.
Savannah Guthrie says her family is still “suffering” as the search continues for her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie.
After reports surfaced that a second ransom note sent to at least one media outlet after Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping claimed her dead, the Today anchor, 54, shared new comments about the incident on his NBC morning show on Tuesday, June 23.
Savannah Guthrie, sitting alongside her Today colleagues, became emotional during an NBC News segment after new details were shared about the previously reported ransom note, saying she had “no comment on this story” and “is not involved in our reporting” but again urged viewers to share any information that could help find her missing mother.
“I can’t pretend I’m not here. I’m here, so I wanted to take this opportunity to really plead with people to come forward,” she said. “Someone knows something and this is today’s news story that is getting your attention. But this is the life my sister is living, this is the life I am living, my brother is living, our extended family is living, our children are living every day, and we are suffering. We cannot be at peace.”
“No matter how hard I try to come out here every day and smile and find joy, and I promise I will, this is the moment to say we need your help. We’re pleading for your help, and I’m not going to let that opportunity pass. So if you’re watching… , the reward is there, no matter how small. You can tell us, even anonymously. We love you mom and we will never stop looking for her.
Guthrie said the circumstances in which she was anchoring a news program that included reporting on her mother’s disappearance were “unusual and unprecedented.”
Is Nancy Guthrie still missing?
Nancy Guthrie has been missing since February 1, and authorities say she was taken against her will from her home in Arizona. The Guthrie family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her recovery.
In an NBC News segment that aired on June 23, just prior to Guthrie’s comments, national correspondent Liz Kreutz reported that a second ransom note previously sent to media outlets “indicated that Nancy was dead.” ABC News and CBS News also reported the same on June 22, citing anonymous sources.
A Pima County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson previously told USA TODAY, “The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie remains active and ongoing. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office continues to work closely with the FBI as investigators follow up on leads, review information, and pursue the facts surrounding this case.”
Craig Melvin on June 23 praised Savannah Guthrie’s “courage and courage to continue doing this job every day since this happened,” calling her “nothing short of amazing.” Guthrie wiped away tears as he delivered his message, as colleagues Al Roker, Carson Daly and Jenna Bush Hager also sat at their desks. Guthrie and Hager were both wearing black clothing.
Savannah Guthrie initially left the Today show in February due to her mother’s disappearance, but returned to the show in early April and has remained the anchor ever since. In a conversation with Hager earlier this month, she opened up about how difficult it is to work without her mother missing.
“I know people are probably wondering, ‘What’s going on? How can she do that job? Doesn’t she think about it? Did she forget?’ No, never,” she said, adding, “I cry on the way to work every morning, and I cry every morning on the way home.”
In a Feb. 4 video message, Guthrie, who was sitting next to her brother and sister, said her family had “heard reports in the media about the ransom letter” and was “ready to speak” with the alleged kidnappers, but they needed to “know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her.” FBI Special Agent Heiss Janke said in a Feb. 5 press conference that one of the ransom notes included “facts related to the deadline” and “monetary value.”
The Guthrie family later shared a video on February 7, calling on their mother’s kidnappers to “receive and understand your message. Please return your mother to us now so we can celebrate together.” They also offered to pay. In a conversation with Hoda Kotb in April, Guthrie said there were “a lot of different” ransom notes, most of which weren’t real, but “the two notes we received and the one we responded to lead me to believe they’re real.”
Law enforcement is asking anyone with information to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s Office tips.fbi.gov. (520-351-4900) or 88-CRIME.
Contributor: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY
