Savannah Guthrie had planned to travel to Italy on Monday to participate in NBC's coverage of the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics, an event that she was scheduled to co-host alongside sports commentator Terry Gannon at the San Siro Stadium in Milan. However, her itinerary was abruptly changed due to a distressing personal emergency involving her mother, Nancy Guthrie, who has been reported missing in Tucson, Arizona.
On Sunday, Nancy, aged 84, was discovered to be missing from her home in Tucson, which local law enforcement has designated as a "crime scene." The Pima County Sheriff’s Department publicly solicited assistance from the community and disseminated a tip line number, 520-351-4900, to aid in the search efforts. The case quickly gained national attention as authorities revealed that Nancy was likely abducted from her bed overnight.
In response to the situation, NBC deployed significant resources to support Guthrie, one of the network's most prominent anchors. Her co-hosts on the "Today" show actively shared information about the search across televised segments and social media platforms. NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas led the Monday evening broadcast with updates on the case, emphasizing the gravity and personal nature of the situation for Guthrie and her family. He reported that the sheriff had informed him about the circumstances of the disappearance and offered solidarity by extending thoughts and prayers.
Guthrie, who has been part of NBC since 2004 and joined the "Today" show in 2011, earned a main co-host role within a year, further solidifying her position in the network’s lineup. Apart from regular hosting duties, she has established herself as a key figure in NBC’s Olympic broadcasts, including handling the opening ceremonies, which she was set to do again prior to this crisis. Moreover, she was expected to anchor NBC's Saturday primetime Olympic coverage—a role reassigned due to this unforeseen event.
The disruption to Guthrie’s career plans became evident when a family member contacted her with news of Nancy’s disappearance, which an NBC producer described as "the worst phone call of her life." Attempts by family members to locate Nancy on their own proved unsuccessful before they contacted emergency services at approximately noon on Sunday.
Upon receiving this news, Guthrie promptly arranged travel to Tucson to be with her family during the search, highlighting her immediate and active involvement. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed Guthrie’s communication with the office and noted that she had a personal security team engaged throughout the night, maintaining contact as the investigation developed.
Guthrie’s connections to Tucson run deep, often referencing the city as her hometown and sharing stories about her family’s life there. In a “Today” segment aired last fall highlighting her Tucson roots, Guthrie and her mother were shown enjoying a meal together, painting a picture of a closely knit family. Nancy described Tucson's atmosphere as “laid back and gentle,” mentioning local wildlife such as javelinas with a sense of humor.
The family’s history is well known to viewers; Guthrie’s parents, Nancy and Charles Guthrie, who had worked in Australia as a mining engineer, moved to Arizona when Savannah was young. A profound family tragedy struck when Charles died suddenly of a heart attack as Savannah began her senior year of high school, an event Guthrie has publicly reflected upon, highlighting her mother’s strength during that difficult time.
In an official statement released on Monday, Savannah Guthrie and her family expressed gratitude toward law enforcement for their efforts and reiterated their hope and focus on securing Nancy’s safe return. The gravity of the situation has led to the suspension of Guthrie’s scheduled Olympic hosting duties, as confirmed by a person familiar with the matter, though an NBC spokesperson declined to comment on any specific changes to the broadcast lineup.
Expressions of support and prayers have poured in from across the network, with colleagues emphasizing the seriousness of the disappearance and the need for public assistance. Closing Monday evening's “NBC Nightly News,” Tom Llamas appealed to viewers to aid in the search efforts, underscoring the personal connection many have to Guthrie through her openness about her family struggles and the enduring lessons of faith she credits to her mother.
Llamas concluded by reaffirming the network’s commitment to helping find Nancy Guthrie, highlighting Savannah’s resilience and the widespread hope for a safe resolution to the case.