Savannah Guthrie visits ‘TODAY’ studio as she plans to eventually return to show
Savannah Guthrie visits ‘TODAY’ studio as she plans to eventually return to show
On Thursday, Savannah Guthrie, a co-anchor of the NBC morning show “TODAY,” made a brief stop at the studio to connect with her colleagues. The visit comes amid the 32nd day of the search for her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, who has been missing since February 1. According to a “TODAY” representative, the co-anchor was emotional during her time at the set, expressing gratitude to her team while keeping her focus on supporting her family and aiding the investigation.
“Savannah Guthrie stopped by the studio this morning to be with and thank her ‘TODAY’ colleagues,” a “TODAY” spokesperson said. “While she plans to return to the show on air, she remains focused right now supporting her family and working to help bring Nancy home.”
Guthrie was last seen on February 1 at 9:45 p.m. after dinner at her daughter Annie Guthrie’s home in Tucson. She had not shown up at a friend’s residence to attend an online church service, sparking concerns. Authorities have classified the case as a potential kidnapping or abduction, though limited evidence has emerged so far.
Jenna Bush Hager, a co-anchor on the show, shared her emotional reaction to Savannah’s visit. “She said that she has the intention to return to the show, even though it feels like the hardest thing to do, it’s also her home and where she feels so loved,” Hager said. Sheinelle Jones, the third-hour co-host, added: “We’re not out of the storm, but there’s a light somewhere even in the midst of the storm.”
“I think her coming here and just being able to be with us, and for us to be able to hug her, I think it’s a step,” Jones said. “Whenever you are ready, we are here.”
Images captured from outside the “TODAY” studio by an Associated Press photographer showed Guthrie wiping tears and hugging her coworkers. The Guthrie family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her mother’s recovery. In announcing the reward on February 24, Savannah Guthrie expressed hope but also uncertainty: “While her family believes her mother ‘can come home,’ they also ‘know that she may be lost’ and may ‘already be gone’.”
The FBI has released doorbell camera footage of an armed and masked individual near Nancy Guthrie’s home on the morning of her disappearance. Though the suspect has not been publicly named, the agency describes him as a male between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall, with an average build. In the video, he is seen carrying a black, 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack.