Under the original plan, NBC’s Savannah Guthrie was set to co-anchor the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics, but those plans were abruptly disrupted after her mother, Nancy Guthrie, unexpectedly went missing.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, has been missing since January 31. She was last seen at her home in Arizona.
Savannah Guthrie — a longtime host of NBC’s Today show — was scheduled to be in Milan, Italy, on Friday to help lead the televised opening ceremony. A high-profile broadcaster named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2018, and a veteran of multiple Olympic broadcasts, Guthrie was considered a key figure in NBC’s major coverage strategy for Milan–Cortina 2026.
However, everything changed following the devastating family crisis. Guthrie’s role at the 2026 Winter Olympics, as well as her position on Today, has been temporarily filled, and network operations have continued smoothly. Still, developments surrounding her mother’s disappearance continue to draw intense public attention.
In a video posted on Instagram, Guthrie delivered an emotional plea to those believed to be responsible for her mother’s disappearance:
“She is 84 years old. Her health — especially her heart — is very fragile. She lives in constant pain. She has no medication with her. She needs medicine to survive and to avoid suffering.”
President Donald Trump has personally directed law enforcement agencies to assist in the search for Nancy Guthrie, stating that the investigation is progressing “very well” and that definitive answers about what happened may be released in the coming days.
In the latest development, Savannah Guthrie announced via Instagram that she is willing to pay a ransom to secure her mother’s reunion with the family.
