How the Olympics Addressed Savannah Guthrie’s Opening Ceremony Absence

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NBC is sending love to Savannah Guthrie from Italy.

Following the decision by Today show co-host Nancy Guthrie to withdraw from covering the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics while her mother is missing, fellow correspondents Mary Carillo and Terry Gannon spoke about the situation.

Terry acknowledged the absence of a cherished teammate, Savannah, as NBC’s Winter Games coverage began on February 6th, adding that everyone misses her greatly.

The sports commentator, joined by Olympic gold medalist Shaun White, shared their love, prayers, and positive energy with Savannah tonight.

Mary, returning for her 17th Olympic Games after replacing Savannah, made a point of recognizing Savannah’s commitment to the competition.

The former tennis star highlighted how much this reporter enjoys covering the Olympics. She also expressed deep sympathy for Savannah and her family, who are going through an incredibly difficult time. Many members of Savannah’s large family in the U.S. are deeply affected.

She concluded with a message to the journalist: “Savannah, my friend, it’s the same way here.”

Savannah is currently in Arizona with her siblings, Camron and Annie Guthrie, while investigators continue to search for their missing mother.

While authorities continued searching for Nancy, who was last seen on the evening of January 31st and reported missing February 1st, her friends released a sad video message. In it, they pleaded with anyone holding her to please bring her home.

In a recent Instagram post, Savannah revealed that her mother is incredibly important to her, describing her as the heart of their family and their home. Savannah explained that her mother is facing serious health challenges, living with constant pain and a fragile heart. Sadly, she currently doesn’t have access to the medication she desperately needs to manage her pain and stay alive.

“We, too, have heard the reports about a ransom letter in the media,” she continued. “As a family, we are doing everything that we can. We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her.”

For more details on the search for Savannah’s mom, keep reading.

Police say 84-year-old Joan 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.

Police confirmed to Today that Nancy, 84, was reported missing by her family on February 1st. A friend became worried when Nancy didn’t attend church that morning and alerted her family. After searching her property for about an hour, her children contacted the authorities around noon to report her disappearance.

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

We usually don’t need to involve the sheriff in situations like this, but the details coming out of the house are very troubling,” he explained to reporters on February 2nd. “This case was particularly unusual based on what officers described and what we discovered at the scene.

This isn’t how things usually work,” Nanos explained. “Normally, our homicide team only investigates when there’s a death. In this case, we sent them based on what the surveyors reported.

After looking into what happened, officials stated 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 the community has historically been helpful in solving difficult cases, and he hopes they will help again.

The sheriff pointed out that Nancy had trouble getting around—she couldn’t walk even a short distance on her own—which led him to suspect something wasn’t right about her disappearance.

I just know she didn’t just walk away. It doesn’t make any sense! The investigators said there’s stuff at the place where it happened, things that prove she didn’t leave by herself. It’s like they’re finally seeing what I’ve been saying all along – something terrible happened to her, and she didn’t just choose to disappear.

The search for Nancy is still ongoing, and officials are concerned because she needs daily medication to stay healthy, and she probably doesn’t have it with her.

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

We’re asking anyone with information about this – anything they’ve seen or heard – to please come forward. Please call 911. We don’t want this to end tragically; we need the public’s help.

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

According to Dr. Nanos, Nancy Guthrie is mentally sound and this situation isn’t related to dementia. She’s still very sharp and alert. The family wants to emphasize that she didn’t simply wander off, and any physical limitations are simply due to her age.

With the search for Nancy still ongoing, Nanos expressed his hope that she will be found safe.

“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 told 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 immediately voiced their support publicly.

Jenna Bush Hager shared on the February 2nd episode of Today with Jenna & Sheinelle that she is personally close to Nancy and feels very fondly towards her.

She continued, saying they were keeping Savannah and her family in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

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

She said she felt the show truly showcased 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 Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie’s mother, to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in Arizona. He also included the sheriff’s department’s phone number.

Savannah’s former colleague, Hoda Kotb, responded to the surprising announcement by posting a heartwarming picture of Savannah and Nancy together on the Today show set. In a brief message on Instagram from February 2nd, Hoda included only a red heart and praying hands emoji.

Police have labeled Nancy’s home in Arizona a crime scene, but they say there’s no reason to believe the public is at risk.

At a press conference on February 2nd, Pima County Sheriff Nanos stated he didn’t believe there was a current danger, but emphasized that the investigation was ongoing and much work remained.

Savannah hasn’t appeared on Today since February 1st, when her mother was reported missing. However, local authorities have been checking in with her to ensure her well-being.

Oh my gosh, the sheriff finally said they’ve talked to her! Apparently, she has a whole security team that’s been keeping them updated all night, which, of course, makes sense for her. But they’re not ruling anything out, which is good, because we need to know everything is being investigated! It’s just… everything feels so real now that they’ve confirmed contact. I’m so anxious!

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

Investigators now think the woman was taken from her home against her will, likely sometime overnight. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office told MS Now that detectives are investigating the possibility of a kidnapping. This has been their focus since February 2nd.

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 faith, writing about the power of prayer, the strength of unity and love, and a belief in the goodness of people and 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 provide comfort and strength right now.

She added, “we need you.”

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

She shared a verse from Isaiah, writing, ‘He will keep those with steadfast hearts and unwavering trust in the Lord in perfect peace.’ She believed this message held true for everyone, throughout all time.

Savannah continued, “Bring her home.”

As a lifestyle expert focused on safety and well-being, I can share that the Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos, has confirmed they’ve discovered DNA evidence inside Nancy’s home. Authorities are currently treating the residence as an active crime scene, and this discovery is a key part of their investigation.

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

On February 4th, Savannah, Camron, and Annie read letters hoping to secure their mother’s safe return, addressing them to both their mom and anyone who might be holding her.

In a video posted to Instagram, the family stated they are doing everything possible and are willing to communicate. However, they expressed concern about the potential for misinformation, emphasizing the need for verifiable proof that their loved one is alive and in the possession of those they are addressing.

She explained, ‘My mom is the center of our world, our safe place. Her health is very delicate, and she’s constantly in pain. Right now, she doesn’t have the medication she desperately needs just to get by and ease her suffering.’

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 urgently need to establish a way to communicate so we can begin to resolve this.

During a press conference on February 5th, FBI Special Agent Heith Janke stated that authorities are treating a detailed ransom letter shared with TMZ as very serious. He also noted that the Guthrie family is still awaiting further contact from the perpetrators.

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2026-02-06 23:52