In a shocking turn of events, Savannah Guthrie has made the agonizing decision to step away from her high-profile role as co-host of NBC's 2026 Winter Olympics coverage in Italy, prioritizing the desperate search for her missing 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, whose disappearance has escalated into a full-blown crisis.
The 54-year-old Today show anchor was set to join NBC sports commentator Terry Gannon and Olympic legend Shaun White for the Opening Ceremony this Friday, but instead, she is now in Tucson, Arizona, surrounded by a security team, as authorities declare her mother's home a crime scene and race against time to find her.
"Savannah will not be with us at the Olympics as she focuses on being with her family during this unimaginably difficult time," an NBC Sports spokesperson revealed to TheEntBase. "Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search intensifies. We will update our coverage plans shortly."
Nancy Guthrie Missing Person poster issued by the Pima County Sheriff's Dept. on Feb. 1. Pima County Sheriff's Department
According to the Pima County Sheriff's Department, Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31 outside her Tucson residence. Her disappearance was reported the next day after she failed to appear at morning services, prompting her children to alert police. Sheriff Chris Nanos described the scene at her home as "very concerning," leading to an urgent, multi-agency search involving airplanes, drones, helicopters, and Border Patrol search-and-rescue dogs.
In a chilling update on Monday, Nanos confirmed that Nancy's disappearance is now being treated as suspicious, with her home declared a crime scene. He emphasized that this is not a case of dementia, stating, "She's as sharp as a tack. The family wants everyone to know that this isn't someone who just wandered off." Authorities are gravely concerned because Nancy is without her daily medication, which could be fatal if not taken within 24 hours.
Missing Person poster for Nancy Guthrie. Pima County Sheriff's Department
Nanos also noted that Savannah Guthrie is currently in Arizona with a security team, and there are no known threats to her linked to the disappearance. In response, Guthrie released a brief statement through her colleagues: "On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers, and messages of support."
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