For the past week, “Today” show star Savannah Guthrie has been trapped in a living hell amid the kidnap of her elderly mom Nancy.
Instead of being at her regular spot at Studio 1A at NBC’s Big Apple headquarters, Savannah, 54, is holed up at her sister Annie’s home in Tucson, Arizona, as she waits for any news of their mother — who was abducted in the middle of the night from her home and has now been missing for seven days.
Described by those who know her as the “rock” of the “Today” show, Savannah has been in constant contact with her co-stars, even throughout her harrowing ordeal.
“Today” star Savannah Guthrie is trapped in a nightmare amid the disappearance of her 84-year-old mom, Nancy Guthrie. savannahguthrie/Instagram
The entire Guthrie clan – from left, Savannah’s husband Mike Feldman, Savannah, Savannah’s daughter Vale, son Charley, her sister Annie, Annie’s son, Nancy Guthrie and Annie’s husband Tommaso Cioni – were just together for Christmas. Nancy Guthrie/Facebook
Indeed, she’s so close to her colleagues that her former co-anchor, Hoda Kotb, is skipping her hosting stint at the Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, to be there for her friend.
Kotb, 61, was due to help helm NBC’s coverage, but she is now staying in the US, sources confirmed.
Making an unexpected return to the show Friday, Kotb — Guthrie’s “Today” co-anchor from 2018 to 2025 — joined Craig Melvin, Sheinelle Jones and Carson Daly to present a segment on the outpouring of support for the Guthrie family.
“This whole thing is breaking my heart and I’m happy to be sitting here with you,” Kotb began. “Because you’re family!” Jones interjected.
“I’ve been wandering around going, ‘Where do we go?’ And I picture Savannah sitting there,” a visibly emotional Kotb added, gesturing towards the “Today” desk.
Admitting that she’s feeling “helpless”, Kotb – who joined a prayer vigil at Church of the Good Shepherd in Manhattan, where Guthrie attends, earlier this week – said, “I mean, we’re all so close with her and we all want to help her.
Savannah appeared distraught as she read out a statement to her mother’s purported kidnappers Wednesday. She was sandwiched between her sister Annie and brother Camron. via REUTERS
Savannah broke hearts as she referred to her mom Nancy as “mommy” in the statement. Instagram/Savannah Guthrie
“I’m looking at us and thinking like, who was first in the hospital room when [my daughter] Hope was sick? Savannah. Who hopped on a plane when [Daly’s] parents [died]? Savannah. Who was sitting by [Jones’ late husband] Uche? How about when [Melvin’s] brother passed?
“They say love is patient, love is kind. Like, we’ll be patient and put prayers up. And that’s all we can do.”
Savannah is truly the connective tissue between all the “Today” hosts, we’re told. Just weeks ago, during an emotional interview with Page Six, Sheinelle revealed how her friend had “saved” her and been by her side during her husband Uche Ojeh’s battle with aggressive brain cancer.
Nancy Guthrie has been a frequent visitor to the “Today” show. She’s seen here in June 2023 wearing her Apple Watch that was disconnected from her pacemaker during her disappearance Sunday night. Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images
Sheinelle Jones – who only returned to work last month following the death of her husband – has been standing in for Savannah. NBC
Savannah’s former co-anchor, Hoda Kotb, made a return to Studio 1A Friday to give her support to her colleagues. NBC
She’s also godmother to Jenna Bush Hager’s seven-year-old son, Hal, and is close to Melvin’s mom, Betty.
The presenters are tied together by their faith. When Savannah, who is said to “set the tone” at the show, published her bestselling book, “Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere,” it was a testament of how loved she is that she was joined at the crowded launch party in February 2024 not just by her colleagues, but also a number of news stars from rival networks, including CNN.
“I’m not writing this book from some mountaintop where I’ve received some wisdom, and now I’m imparting it to the world,” she told “Today”.
Nancy Guthrie disappeared without a trace from her $1 million home in Arizona Sunday night, sparking a massive hunt. BACKGRID
Blood was found splattered outside Nancy’s home, that cops later confirmed was hers. BACKGRID
“No, I’m still down here, struggling. Still down here, disappointing myself. I’m still down here, needing faith, needing grace, needing mercy, needing love. That’s why I wrote the book — because I’m the person that needs to read it.”
Savannah had only just returned to “Today” on Jan. 26, following vocal cord surgery to remove polyps, which included a two-week period of total voice rest as part of her recovery.
She jetted to Arizona with husband Mike Feldman as soon as she was alerted of her 84-year-old mother’s disappearance last Sunday.
Nancy was reported missing Sunday afternoon from her secluded home in the Catalina Foothills, an area north of Tucson, Arizona, after she failed to show up at church, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said.
She was last seen around 9:45 pm Saturday night when her son-in-law, Tomasso Cioni, dropped her off at home after having dinner with him and Annie.
Despite Nancy’s house being cleared by police, the scene was opened up again as feds and dogs were seen at the scene. James S. Wood for NY Post
Despite a storm of publicity that has swept the country and an investigation launched by both local police and the feds, so far nothing which could lead to Nancy’s safe return been publicly revealed.
Investigators are zeroing in on a 25-minute window between 1:47 a.m. Sunday, when the 84-year-old’s doorbell camera disconnected, and 2:12 a.m., when software data recorded movement on her phone.
Police are also taking a chilling ransom note demanding Bitcoin which was sent to an Arizona news station earlier in the week seriously, as it contained details about Nancy’s home and what she was wearing Saturday night when she disappeared, according to Nanos.
Jenna Bush Hager has been leading prayers for her BFF’s mom. NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Savannah appeared devastated as she read out a statement addressing Nancy’s purported kidnappers Wednesday, pleading for her mom’s safe return.
Sitting sandwiched between her older siblings: sister Annie, a poet, and brother Camron, a former fighter pilot, Savannah said, “Our mom is a kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light.
“She’s funny, spunky, and clever. She has grandchildren that adore her and crowd around her and cuddle her with kisses.”
Fighting through tears Savannah added, “Our mom is our heart, and our home, She is 84 years old. Her health, her heart is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive, she needs it not to suffer.
Savannah – seen as a child with her siblings, Annie and Camron, was left devastated by the death of her dad Charles Guthrie when she was 16. savannahguthrie/Instagram
“We, too, have heard the reports about a ransom letter in the media. As a family we are doing everything that we can. We are ready to talk.”
“Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman. You are God’s precious daughter, Nancy. We believe and know that even in this valley, he is with you,” she said.
“We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again. We speak to you every moment and we pray without ceasing. We love you, mom,” Savannah closed before Annie and Camron echoed her last sentence.
Savannah posted a message on Instagram, asking everyone to pray for her mom. savannahguthrie/Instagram
One of three reported ransom notes had a deadline of 5pm Thursday, and in a video statement posted near the deadline, Camron asked to speak to “whoever is out there holding our mother,” saying the family wants to talk and is “waiting for contact.”
We’re told that everyone on “Today” has been left “reeling” and some staffers even held a prayer circle.
Sheinelle, 47, has been in Savannah’s seat to host the main show for the past few days, and will continue to stand in for her. While Craig, 46, who was due to host Olympics Late Night from Italy, is staying in NYC.
Just a few weeks ago, Sheinelle, who only returned to work full time last month, told Page Six how Savannah had been by her side when her late husband, Uche, was in a hospice.
“You know what saved me?” she said, “I think initially, I feel like I was in this metaphorical free fall, there was one day Savannah came up to the hospital and she’s like ‘you need to get out of here’.
“So we went to this little restaurant around the corner from the hospital and had margaritas, and I said, ‘You being here today, you were like my oxygen for the day.” And we are both pretty spiritual. And she talked about the Bible verse about manna from heaven… and so she goes, ‘you may not know when you’re going to get it, but I believe you’re going to get a little bit of manna every day’.”
Savannah and Nancy are extremely close, and the “Today” host said her mom is one of her best friends. Facebook/Savanah Guthrie
Nancy with her two daughters, Savannah and Annie, at the theater in NYC. savannahguthrie/Instagram
Uche died last May, leaving Sheinelle a single mom to their three children.
She recalled that Savannah – who lost her dad Charles when she was 16 – also gave her advice for how to care for her children, telling her, “You know what… I remember when my mom did this and maybe you should do this.”
“And there were days where I would take her advice and go home and I would talk to the kids about something that she remembers that her mom did,” Sheinelle said. “And I would call her back and be like, ‘oh my God, it worked’. And I think she found purpose in it because she remembers what it was like.”
An industry source pointed out how security for prominent media personalities is being tightened at all networks. New CBS editor in chief, Bari Weiss, has a top team of security agents around her at all times.
Nancy Guthrie had made frequent appearances on her daughter’s show. The source added, “The security industry is going to explode now; it’s not just a case of looking after stars in their own homes, but their relatives.”
As Page Six reported, NBC has also ramped up security for the “Today” stars, with cops stationed outside the studio.