Savannah Guthrie Says She’s “Questioned” Her Faith Amid Search for Mom

Savannah Guthrie is detailing her ups and downs with her faith.

Savannah Guthrie, co-host of Today, recently shared a heartfelt Easter message with her church community as the search for her mother, Nancy Guthrie, is still ongoing. Guthrie is scheduled to return to the NBC morning show on April 6th.

In a recent video message for Good Shepherd New York, she spoke about the hope of eternal life. However, she admitted that there are times when that hope feels distant, and life feels overwhelmingly difficult—even harder than facing death. She described these as moments of profound disappointment and feeling completely forsaken by God.

The 54-year-old recently confessed she’s been questioning whether Jesus felt the full range of human emotions, as her religious beliefs suggest.

She admitted to wondering if Jesus truly understood the pain she felt – the deeply hurtful and specific anguish of not knowing, of being uncertain, confused, and denied answers.

Savannah went on to say that during her most difficult times, she’d had a thought, maybe even a disrespectful one, that she’d experienced something Jesus Himself hadn’t.

After some thought, the broadcaster came to believe that questioning God isn’t a bad thing. She started to wonder if God might even understand what she was going through.

She explained that it’s comforting to know God understands our emotions because he experienced them as a human. He feels compassion for us and, even if he doesn’t give us answers right away, he promises to be with us.

Savannah admitted her message was a bit gloomy, but she finished by emphasizing the joyful spirit of the spring holiday.

“I still believe,” she concluded. “And so I say with conviction, happy Easter.”

Savannah shared this message just before returning to work at Studio 1A. It’s her first time back since Nancy, 84, was reported missing on February 1st. She spoke about the complicated feelings she had when deciding to come back.

She explained to Hoda Kotb in a recent interview that while she doesn’t want to pretend to be someone she’s not, she feels obligated to return because her family needs her, and she believes it’s what she’s meant to do right now.

Savannah explained she wants her smile to be genuine. She sees happiness as a way to express herself and respond to the world. Being present and finding joy in moments is important to her, and she won’t hesitate to acknowledge when things aren’t joyful either.

For more details on Nancy’s disappearance, keep reading.

Nancy Guthrie, mother to Annie, Camron, and Savannah Guthrie, was last seen at her home in Tucson, Arizona, around 9:30 p.m. on January 31st, according to the Pima County police.

Nancy, age 84, was reported missing on February 1st after a friend noticed she hadn’t been at church that morning and alerted her family, police said. Her children searched her property for about an hour before contacting authorities and filing a missing person report around noon.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos later explained the first steps of the investigation, which involved detectives specializing in homicides, at the victim’s home.

It’s unusual for the sheriff to be called to a situation like this, but the details emerging from the house are deeply troubling,” he explained to reporters on February 2nd. “This case was particularly noteworthy because of what officers described finding and what we observed at the scene.

“This isn’t how things usually work,” Nanos explained. “Normally, our homicide team is called out when someone dies, when we have a body to investigate. This time, we sent them based solely on what the surveyors reported.”

After looking into what happened, officials said they think a crime occurred at Nancy’s house.

During a press conference on February 2nd, Nanos stated that investigators now believe they have confirmed a crime scene after processing the location. He asked for the public’s assistance, noting that the community has consistently helped solve difficult cases in the past and he hoped they would do so again.

The sheriff pointed out that Nancy had trouble walking—she couldn’t walk even a short distance on her own—which led him to suspect she didn’t disappear voluntarily.

He stated, “We’re certain she didn’t simply leave on her own. Evidence at the location suggests she didn’t leave voluntarily.”

As we all follow the news about Nancy, I want to stress something really important: she relies on daily medication to stay healthy, and it’s deeply concerning that she may not have access to it right now. Every hour counts, and getting her the care she needs is critical.

During a press conference on February 2nd, Nanos explained that an 84-year-old woman is facing serious health issues and urgently needs medication. Without it within 24 hours, her condition could become life-threatening.

We’re asking anyone with information about this – if you’ve seen or heard anything – to please get in touch with us. Call 911. We want to avoid another tragedy and really need the public’s help.

Although Nancy has had some health challenges, Dr. Nanos highlighted that her mind remains sharp.

I’m so relieved to hear Dr. Nanos say that Nancy Guthrie is completely mentally sound. He made it very clear this isn’t about dementia at all – she’s incredibly sharp and with it. The family really wants everyone to understand that she didn’t just wander off due to confusion. Her limitations are simply related to being older, that’s all.

With the search for Nancy still ongoing, Nanos expressed his wish for her to come home safely.

“I hope we find her safe and sound,” he emphasized, “but we cannot ignore what’s in front of us.”

The day after Nancy was reported missing, the anchor of the Today show publicly shared how difficult this time is for her family.

Speaking for my family, I want to express our gratitude for all the kind thoughts, prayers, and messages we’ve received,” she shared in a statement to NBC’s morning show on February 2nd. “Our top priority right now is bringing Nancy home safely.”

She expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their efforts in the investigation and asked anyone with relevant information to reach out to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.

Once Savannah Guthrie learned her mother, Nancy, had been reported missing, her colleagues on the Today show quickly voiced their support for her.

Jenna Bush Hager shared on the February 2nd episode of Today with Jenna & Sheinelle that she is personally close to Nancy and expressed her affection for her.

She continued, saying they were thinking of Savannah and her family and sending their prayers to them all.

Meanwhile, Sheinelle Jones emphasized the importance of community during this difficult time.

She felt the show truly represented the community at its finest when it asked viewers to reach out to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department with any information related to the case, even if it seemed insignificant.

She added, “So we’re sending our prayers but we’re also sending our collective action.”

Before concluding the segment, both hosts continued, “We love you, Savannah.”

And Sunday Today anchor Willie Geist also urged fans to keep an eye out for Nancy.

On February 2nd, he posted on Instagram asking anyone with information about the whereabouts of Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy, to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in Arizona. He also included the relevant phone number, stating that she was missing.

Savannah’s former colleague, Hoda Kotb, also responded to the surprising announcement. She shared a heartwarming photo of Savannah and Nancy together on the Today show set. In a simple message on Instagram from February 2nd, Hoda posted a red heart and praying hands emoji.

Okay, so they’re calling Nancy’s place a ‘crime scene’ – can you BELIEVE it?! It’s just… heartbreaking. But they keep saying we’re all safe, that there’s ‘no indication of danger to the public.’ Like, seriously? How can they be so sure when something clearly happened there? It just doesn’t make any sense, and honestly, it’s not helping me cope at all. I just want to know what happened to her!

Pima County Sheriff Nanos stated in a press conference on February 2nd that he doesn’t believe there’s a current danger, but emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and much work remains.

Savannah hasn’t been on Today since February 1st, when her mother was reported missing. However, local authorities have been checking in with her to make sure she’s okay.

The sheriff confirmed they had spoken with her. She has a security team that has been communicating with them all night, but they aren’t ruling anything out at this point.

On Feb. 2, Pima County police shared a series of updates on the timeline of Nancy’s disappearance.

Investigators now think the woman was likely taken from her home against her will, potentially while she was sleeping, according to a Pima County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson who spoke with MS Now on February 2nd. Detectives are currently investigating the possibility that she was kidnapped.

After news broke that Nancy might have been taken from her home in Arizona while she was sleeping, Savannah made a heartfelt plea.

In a recent Instagram post on February 2nd, she shared her strong faith, writing, “We find strength in prayer, in coming together with love and hope, and in believing in the goodness of people and humanity. Most importantly, we have faith in God.”

Savannah continued, thanking everyone for keeping her mother, Nancy, in their thoughts and prayers. She described Nancy as a woman of strong beliefs and a devoted person, and asked for continued prayers, believing they would help her through this difficult time.

She added, “we need you.”

To conclude her plea, Savannah shared a Bible verse from Isaiah.

She shared a verse from Isaiah, writing, ‘Those who remain steadfast and trust in the Lord will experience perfect peace.’ She believed this message held true for everyone, throughout all time.

Savannah continued, “Bring her home.”

Pima County Sheriff Nanos stated that DNA evidence was discovered at Nancy’s house, which is now being treated as a crime scene.

We collected samples and are hoping they contain enough DNA to help us identify what we’re dealing with, he told NBC News in a report on Today on February 3rd.

At a press conference held two days after Nancy went missing, Nanos explained what happened leading up to her disappearance.

I’ve been following this case closely, and it’s chilling. Apparently, just four hours after she got back from a family visit, at 1:47 a.m., her doorbell camera went offline. That’s what authorities shared at a press conference on February 5th, and it’s a key detail they’re looking into.

The software identified someone at the door, but the video was automatically deleted because Nancy didn’t pay for a subscription. However, the representative assured her they were still working to recover the footage.

The sheriff explained that Nancy’s pacemaker app lost connection to her phone at 2:28 a.m. The family found her missing at 11:56 a.m., and 911 was called to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department just three minutes later, at 12:03 p.m.

About ten minutes after receiving the initial report, he explained that patrol teams would arrive on the scene. Then, they’d begin responding with both search-and-rescue and detective units.

On February 4th, Savannah, Camron, and Annie read letters they wrote to their mother and anyone who might be holding her, asking for her to be returned home safely.

In a video posted to Instagram, the family spokesperson said they are doing everything possible and are willing to communicate. They emphasized the prevalence of misinformation and requested undeniable proof that their loved one is still alive and in the possession of those they are addressing.

My mom is the center of our world and everything to us. Her health is very delicate, and she’s constantly in pain. Sadly, she doesn’t have the medication she desperately needs to manage her pain and stay alive. Getting her the right medicine would greatly improve her quality of life.

The next day, Camron confirmed in a separate video that the family was still “waiting for contact.”

We’re asking whoever has our mother to please contact us. We haven’t received any direct communication, and we need to establish a way to communicate so we can resolve this situation.

During a press conference on February 5th, FBI special agent Heith Janke announced the arrest of Derrick Callella from California. Callella is accused of sending fake texts as part of an attempt to profit from the situation – Janke described him as a “total imposter.” Authorities are also taking a detailed ransom letter, which was shared with TMZ, “extremely seriously.” Callella has not yet entered a plea and was released on a $20,000 bond.

However, he noted, the Guthrie family was “still waiting for communication.”

On February 7th, the day officials told Today they had searched Annie’s Arizona home as a routine part of the investigation, Savannah posted a new video on Instagram suggesting they had received what they asked for.

Speaking while holding hands with Camron and Annie, she said they understood the message and pleaded for their mother’s return. They explained that having her back was the only thing that would bring them peace and allow them to celebrate with her.

And if her intentions weren’t clear, Savannah added, “This is very valuable to us and we will pay.”

Investigators publicly shared surveillance photos of a person of interest in the case on February 10th.

Footage from a camera on Nancy’s property shows a person wearing a ski mask and carrying a backpack walking toward her home. The individual then appears to punch the camera, damaging it. Police had previously noted the camera was broken when they arrived at the house.

For the past eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been working with private companies to find any lost, damaged, or hidden images and videos from Nancy Guthrie’s home. This effort was necessary because recording devices had been removed. They were able to recover the video from data still stored on the systems’ servers, according to a statement shared with TopMob News.

“Working with our partners,” the note continued, “law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance.”

Two days after the FBI shared video of the person who went near Nancy’s house, investigators provided a description of the suspect.

According to the FBI’s Phoenix office, the suspect is a man between 5’9” and 5’10” tall with an average build. He was seen in a video wearing a black ‘Ozark Trail Hiker Pack’ backpack that holds about 25 liters.

The FBI is now offering a $100,000 reward – up from $50,000 – for information that helps find Nancy Guthrie or leads to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.

After Nancy had been missing for over two weeks, Pima County Sheriff Nanos released a statement to explain who might be connected to the case.

In a statement on February 16th, investigators confirmed that the entire Guthrie family – including all siblings and their spouses – has been ruled out as suspects. They emphasized the family has been fully cooperative and are themselves victims in this situation.

The gloves discovered close to Nancy’s house didn’t seem to connect with the rest of the evidence in the case, according to police.

On March 2nd, Pima County Sheriff Nanos explained to KVOA, the local NBC station, that around three weeks after finding a pair of gloves with DNA about two miles from the victim’s home, investigators initially and strongly believed the gloves were related to a restaurant.

Although some people noticed the gloves in the doorbell camera footage looked similar to those found near the crime scene, Nanos dismissed this as just a guess. Investigators had already identified the glove’s owner – an employee at a local restaurant – and confirmed they weren’t connected to the case.

2026-04-06 02:19

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