The “Today” co-anchor sat down for her first interview since her mother Nancy Guthrie went missing on Feb. 1.

Biggest takeaways from Savannah Guthrie’s Today interview about her mom’s disappearance

The "Today" co-anchor sat down for her first interview since her mother Nancy Guthrie went missing on Feb. 1.

By Marina Watts

Marina Watts

Marina Watts is a news writer for with seven years experience covering entertainment, pop culture and celebrity news. Her previous work appears in PEOPLE, Bustle and Newsweek.

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on March 27, 2026 10:35 a.m. ET

Savannah Guthrie on 'Today'. Credit:

- In her first interview since her mother disappeared, Savannah Guthrie speaks about how her family has been affected by the tragedy, along with poignant words about grief that have guided her each day.

- Nancy Guthrie was last seen on Jan. 31. Her disappearance is under investigation.

- The Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI continue to urge anyone with tips to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Savannah Guthrie opened up about her mother Nancy Guthrie's disappearance in her first interview since she went missing.

During the first two parts of her emotional interview on *Today *with Hoda Kotb, released Thursday, Savannah opened up about the night her mom went missing, what it was like for her family during the investigation while staying in Arizona, and her mother's poignant words about grief.

Nancy, 84, was last seen on the evening of Jan. 31 at her Arizona home after being dropped off by her family. Two days later, the Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said that her disappearance was being treated as a crime after traces of Nancy's blood were discovered on the porch.

Since her disappearance, the Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI have been collaborating on a large-scale investigation to locate Nancy.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the powerful interview. A special *Dateline* will air Friday at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

Savannah Guthrie on 'Today'.

Savannah calls the day she learned Nancy was missing full of “chaos and disbelief”

Upon returning home from a "normal weekend," Savannah received a call from her sister Annie saying that her mom was missing. "My sister called me, and I said, 'Is everything okay?' And she said, 'No.' She said, 'Mom's missing.' And I said, 'What? What are you talking about?' She said, 'She's gone,'" Savannah said, noting that her sister was "in a panic."

The family called 911 on Feb. 1, initially suspecting that she had a medical episode and was brought to a hospital, but her phone was still at her house. Savannah's brother Camron called the hospitals in the area and Savannah began making phone calls as well. "The police were there and talking to [my sister] at the same time and it was just chaos, and disbelief," she said.**

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Savannah wonders if her fame led to the kidnapping

When Camron, who has a military background, said that it looked like Nancy had been kidnapped for ransom, Savannah asked that if her fame could be why her mother was taken. "I don't know that it's because she's my mom and somebody thought, 'Oh, that lady has money, maybe we can make a quick buck.' That would make sense, but we don't know."

Savannah also said that it's "too much to bear to think that I brought this to her bedside." She added, "That it's because of me, and I just have to say, I'm so sorry, Mommy. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry to my sister and my brother and my kids and my nephew and Tommy, my brother-in-law, just, like, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. If it is me, I'm so sorry. i'm so sorry."

Savannah Guthrie and Nancy Guthrie on 'Today' in 2023.

Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

Savannah believes two ransom notes are real

Savannah said "a lot of different notes" came through. "I think most of them, it's my understanding, are not real. I didn't see them, but, you know, the person that would send a fake ransom note really has to look deeply at themselves," she added.

"But I believe the two notes we received that we responded to — I tend to believe those are real."**

Savannah and her family relocated several times while staying in Arizona

"We had to move houses many times because people came and not everyone is respectful, unfortunately," she said, noting that there was a night she and her family had to leave in the dark n the desert.

"Holding hands, me and my sister and brother get into a car waiting for us. The people outside were closing in, so we found a place that was safe. Then we really couldn't leave too much. Those days were a blur — crying, praying."

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Savannah Guthrie on 'Today'.

Savannah still refers to her mom in the present tense

When Kotb pointed out that Savannah refers to Nancy in the present tense, Savannah said that "she is present tense to me."**

Savannah tries to give her kids “a little more certainty”

Savannah said that her kids, Vale, 11, and Charley, 9, will ask her if there are "any leads" in the search for Nancy. "We tried to talk to them and try to give them a little more certainty than we have to let them grieve," she said.

As for her nephew, it's "so much harder on Annie and Tommy and him because they're there. And they were there every day for my mom."

Savannah Guthrie and Nancy Guthrie.

Savannah Guthrie/Instagram

Savannah shared what her mom taught her about grief

When asked about leaving Arizona to come back to New York, Savannah reflected on her flight. "I looked out the window of the airplane and just thought, where are you? That desert hat beautiful desert that she loves. Where are you? How could I leave you?"

"But my mom taught me a lot about grief," she continued. "Our family knows grief." Savannah's father died at 49 when she was 16. "And I remember my mom saying in those early days when Daddy died, 'You have to get up, and decide, and do.' She read that in a book that meant a lot to her and her grief."

"I always remembered that so I'm trying to decide and do."

Savannah is ready to forgive if a culprit came forward

Savannah has leaned heavily on her faith to get her through this difficult time, noting that she is "not alone" and "not abandoned" in her struggle. While the hunt for a suspect has been slow-moving, she believes that "someone has it in their power to help" her family and that "someone knows something." She encouraged that person to come forward with information.

"It is never too late [to help], and when you do, the warmth of love and forgiveness that will come will be greater than can be imagined," she said. "I know what it is to be forgiven, and there is no greater joy. And that joy awaits whoever can hear this and find it in their heart to help."

Savannah says returning to Today is her purpose

Savannah said she wanted to return to Studio 1A to see her colleagues, who she said are "my family too." She said *Today *was "the answer to all my dreams," which is motivating her to return.

"It's hard to imagine doing it because it's such a place of joy and lightness and I can't come back and try to be something that I'm not," she said. "But I can't not come back because it's my family. I think it's part of my purpose right now."

The anchor said that experiencing joy will be a "protest" to her circumstances but added she will "say so" when she's feeling low. Savannah also said that she won't be the same when she returns to the *Today* desk.

"I don't know if I'll belong anymore but I would like to try," she said. Her *Today* co-anchor Craig Melvin said after the interview that the show is ready to "welcome her back with open arms."

Following the interview on Friday, March 27, NBC announced that Savannah would be returning to *Today* as an anchor on April 6.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI continue to urge anyone with tips to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

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