After Savannah Guthrie’s mother was reported missing, some people may be wondering what happened to the Today host father.
On February 2, Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, was reported missing by her family. The Today anchor was absent from the broadcast of the show and released a statement: “On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers and messages of support. Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mother. We thank law enforcement for their hard work in this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Sheriff of Pima County.”
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NBC crime correspondent Tom Winter reported that Nancy’s disappearance is now being treated as a crime. “They were able to bring out helicopters last night that use infrared cameras. They’ve got drones up,” Winter said. “They enlisted the help of Customs and Border Protection — of course, not too far from the border there in Mexico. They have some special resources. The FBI is also aware of this case … because of the nature of what was found at the scene. That’s what worries them so much.”
Related: today’s Savannah Guthrie’s Mother’s Disappearance Is Being Investigated By The FBI Because Of ‘What Was Found At The Scene’—Officials Are ‘Concerned’
Nancy had no reported health concerns such as dementia or Alzheimer’s and was of “sound mind.” However, officials were concerned about her physical health. “She has some physical ailments that limit her ability to move,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said.
The Tucson Sheriff’s Department later issued an update on the investigation. “We believe now, after processing that we actually have a crime and we are asking for the help of the community,” said Nanos.
Who is Savannah Guthrie’s father?
Savannah Guthrie’s father was Charles Guthrie. He died when she was 16 from a sudden heart attack.
Her father’s death had a profound impact on her adolescence. “The loss of my father was shocking and devastating. It opened up our family and shattered us,” Savannah shared in an interview with People in 2024 when she promotes her book Mostly That’s What God Doeswhich tells of her sadness from the loss. “He was our center. We just idealized him and adored him. He was larger than life, and funny, and charming, and adorable. His loss was so sudden and so shocking.”
Savannah also uses Christmas as a tribute to her father and his selflessness. “I think that the fact that I lost my father when I was 16 years old, makes Christmas even more special for us, because it was his holiday and that’s how we felt and that’s how he felt,” said Savannah in December 2022. “I think that we keep Christmas even harder now, because it’s a link to him and a link to the past and to our memories.”
She revealed that she did not want to leave her mother in the early stages of her career. “My dad passed away when I was going into my senior year in high school. Then I lived at home all through college. We didn’t have money to afford the dorm,” Savannah said on Today in 2022. “She said, ‘If you can’t let me go, then I haven’t done my job right, Savannah.’ She just gave me permission to go.”
the Today The anchor often brought Nancy as a guest on the show and talked about her love for her mother in 2022. “She loved us, her family, fiercely, and her selflessness and sacrifice for us, her steadfastness and her unwavering confidence are the reason each of us grew to do something,” Guthrie said in honor of her 80th birthday.
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