Extended Cut: Savannah Guthrie Speaks to Hoda Kotb About Mom Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance

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Hey everybody, it's HotaCotB and this is a special edition of our podcast.

On February 1st, Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her home outside of Tucson, Arizona.

It has now been more than eight weeks since police said she was taken against her will in the

middle of the night and investigators are continuing their search Defender. This week I sat down with

our colleague and our dear friend Savannah. Our conversation was raw, heartbreaking and deeply

emotional. Savannah spoke openly about the agony her family has been living through,

the waiting, the not knowing and the heartbreak that has come with all of it.

She shared where she was when she first got the call, how her family is leaning on their faith,

their mother taught them and how she's finding the strength to keep going one day at a time.

And even in the midst of so much pain, Savannah says that she's holding on to hope.

Hope that someone somewhere will do the right thing and help bring her mom home.

Here's our conversation.

Take me back to the day. It was, I guess, a normal weekend for you.

Yeah. The week in your mom went missing. Tell me what you were doing and what happened.

I had given Mike for Christmas of Boy Strip to go Christmas and so he had been gone for the weekend

so I took my kids actually to Carson's and so we have beautiful

fun night together and then I came home and really it just got home at the same time

that Mike came home. We were just saying hi, put down our stuff and the kids were running around.

And my sister called me and she said I said is everything okay?

And she said no. She said mom's missing and I've said what?

Yeah. What are you talking about? She said she's gone.

And she was in a panic. I was in a panic. I'm like, call 911. She's like I did. We called them.

They're here. We thought that she must have had like some kind of medical episode in the night

and that somehow the paramedics had come because the back doors were propped open.

And that didn't make any sense. We thought maybe they came and there was a stretcher and they

took her out the back but her phone was there and her purse was there and all her things

and it just didn't make any sense. So Annie and Tommy had already called all the hospitals but then

I'm like I'm going to call the hospital. So then I started calling the hospitals and

the police were there. I'm talking to her at the same time and it was just chaos and disbelief.

Within hours Savannah was making the long journey home to Tucson.

You saw Annie in Cam when you got to their house. Tell me about that moment. I mean it's just like

just disbelief and I'll get each other and I think we were on the phone with the sheriff and

trying to really make clear us from the very early moments. Annie and Tommy were saying this isn't

this isn't that case that you are used to where someone wanders off. She can't wander off.

My mom, she was in tremendous pain. Her back was very bad.

You know, she was trying to, on a good day, she could walk down to the mailbox and get the

mail most days now. So there was no wander off. And the doors were wrapped open. Yeah.

And there was blood on the front doors. And the rain camera had been

being dropped. Yeah. And so we were saying this is do something. This is not okay. Yeah. This isn't

something is very wrong here. Yeah. Did you guys talk about what possibly

could have happened? Like what could have happened? What went down? Did you? I think my brother

I mean, my siblings are so amazing.

My brother, you know, he spent his career in the military and worked in intelligence

and so fighter pilot and brilliant and he saw very clearly right away what this was. Yeah.

Yeah. And even on the phone, he called him. He knew. He knew. And he said, I think she's been kidnapped

for ransom. And I said, yeah. What? Yeah. Well, why? What? And then I mean, it sounds so

like how dumb could I be? But I just, I didn't want to believe. I just do. Do you think? Because of me.

I said, I'm sorry, sweetie. Yeah, maybe. But I knew that. You did. I hope not. I mean, we still don't

know. Honestly, we don't know anything. We don't know anything. I don't know. Yeah. That it's because

she's my mom and somebody thought, oh, that girl, that lady has money. We can get, we can

quick back. I mean, that would make sense, but we don't know. But yeah, that's probably

which is too much to make. To think that I brought this to her bedside.

That it's because of me. And I just say I'm sorry, mommy. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry to my sister and

my brother and my kids and my nephew and Tommy and my brother. Well, just I'm like, so sorry. I'm so

sorry. If it is me, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.

In the initial days, you and your sister and brother sat together in all the despair you sat

and managed to think of words to say things to convey. Were you able to do that in that moment?

Well, my siblings are amazing. And we are a unit. And I talked about how brilliant my brother

is, but my sister is equally brilliant and also has special powers of intuition and faith

and language and depth and heart. And I feel like we came together with all these beautiful gifts

that came from our mom and dad and from our mom and dad and from our mom and dad and some how

together we did our best to come up with the words to say. And I haven't posted one thing or said

one thing that three of us haven't decided together. It is surreal. It's how is it possible

that we are having to make a video speaking to a kidnapper who took an 84 year old woman

in the dad of night in her pajamas with no shoes without her medicine, this little person

and to beg for mercy. In the days that followed, multiple notes demanding payment were sent to various media outlets.

The ransom notes or ransom requests came. Did you believe those to be real?

There are a lot of different notes, I think, that came. And I think most of them,

it's my understanding, are not real. And I didn't see them, but

you know, a person that would send a fake ransom note really has to look deeply at themselves

to a family in pain. But I believe the two notes that we received, that we responded to,

I tend to believe those are real. Really? When the ring camera video surfaced and you could see

who that person was, just tell me what you thought when you saw those images of the person who

who took your mother. I mean, it's just absolutely terrifying. Yeah. It's just totally terrifying.

And I can't imagine that that is who she saw standing over her bed.

Yeah. I can't. That's too much. Yeah.

And I'm glad and grateful to the investigators and the technology companies

that were able to find that video. To I hope, at least with people of good heart and compassion,

stop the irresponsible and cruel speculation that had started to swirl.

Let's talk about that for a minute. I'm glad that people saw. Yeah.

What came to our door?

Yeah.

When you talk about the cruel speculation, the whispers, the innuendo that it was somebody in your

family, how did you weather that? It's unbearable. Yeah. And it piles pain upon pain.

There are no words.

There are no words. I don't understand.

And no one took better care of my mom than my sister and brother-in-law.

And no one protected my mom more than my brother.

And we left her and she's our shining light. She's our meat truck. She's all we have.

Savannah and her family stayed together in Arizona for weeks as the media coverage grew more intense.

We had to move houses many times because people came and not everyone is respectful, unfortunately.

Yeah. You know, there was a night we had to leave in the dark in the desert,

holding hands, me and my sister and brother and I get into a car waiting for us

to because the people outside were closing in.

But they have to be running from place to place. Yeah. So

we found a place that was safe and then

then we couldn't really leave too much. Like those days are a blur. Yeah. Cry, pray.

How did your family feel about the way the investigation was conducted?

Well, it's still going. Yeah. And people have worked tirelessly.

tirelessly and we see that.

But we need answers. We cannot be at peace without knowing

and someone can do the right thing. I know this never too late to do the right thing.

And our hearts are focused on that. You speak about your mom always

and the present tense. Yeah.

I mean, she is present tense to me. Do you feel her or have you heard her?

Any moments?

Yeah. A little bit.

Tell me about your mommy. Just tell me about her.

Yeah. My mom is she's incredible. My mom is

she's she's resolute and strong and quiet strength, quiet faith,

hard fight. She's funny and a little um

Mr. Miss I would say in her humor.

She's a noble creature. She does what's right. She walks in faith but not a fake

pious put on faith but like the grounded earthy

she fought for it faith. When you posted

please pray in the beginning. The ocean of love and prayers. Did you feel that? Did you sense

what was happening? I do feel prayers. You know, I do. I believe that. I think she would have

been just amazed. Just truly amazed. One of the images that stayed with me through all of this

was you and Annie and Tomas. Tomasso. Tomasso. Walking up and looking at the flowers and at the notes

as I saw that I thought. I wonder if Savannah's going inside and what that must have felt

like for you to go inside of your mom's. You're your child at home, your mom's house.

Yeah. I mean this is the house that we grew up in. It's really the only house I have ever

known and remembered. We moved there when I was about four I think. It's the house where

I came home on a Friday night at 16 and my mom and sister were on the couch praying

and told me that my father died. It's the house where all of our memories are.

Good and bad. So it's hollowed ground. My mom loved and treasured that house.

And good years and mean years. They were able to hold onto that house. My mom's safe haven.

And it was really hard to see that by leave and the terror. The terror that she must have felt

is unbearable. It's unbearable. Tell me while you were spending all this time in Tucson,

your kids were home. What do they know? Well, that's so hard with kids because you know,

you want to protect them. They all would write me all the time. Mama, any leads? Any leads?

Do you hear anything? Any hope?

And I think that we try to talk to them and try to give them a little more certainty

than we have to let them grieve. And for my little nephew, Omo too, you know, he's,

there's just a way in which this is even so much harder. And Annie and Tani and Omo,

because they're there. And they were there every day for my mom.

They made it possible for her to stay in the house we grew up in that she loved so much.

I think she always stayed in that house because I think she still felt my father there,

all our memories. You know, they were close. Yes. A letter. Have her space. And it's just a way

in which this is just even more excruciating for them than all that they've been through.

You know, it was a hard decision for you. And I know you told me about this was coming back here,

leaving Arizona to come back to New York. Why was that so difficult that choice?

No, I looked out the window there. I just thought, where are you?

Yeah. That desert, that beautiful desert that she loves, where are you? How could I leave you?

Oh. But my mom taught me a lot about grief. Our family knows grief.

My father passed when I was 16 years old. He was only 49. He was a shock.

And I remember my mom saying, in those early days when Tani died, like,

you have to get up and decide and do. Just decide and do. I'd read that in a book that meant a lot

to her and her grief. And so I remember, I always remember that. So I'm trying to decide and do.

Just get up and decide and do every day. You know, I felt terrible grief and I felt

unfathomable love and comfort. The goodness and kindness of God is remarkable

and in equal measure to my sorrow. She showed us how to survive the unimaginable.

When she lost my dad, she was 46 years old. She had three kids. She had never worked outside the home.

She had to get up. She had to find a job. She had to mother. Two teenagers and one young adult

just starting making his way into the world. She took care of her mother,

her brother who had Down syndrome. She invited to come live with us.

She worked part-time

to make ends kind of meat. She found a way. Another job. A job she turned into a full-time job.

A job she turned into a career. She had a second life of purpose and meaning.

She had a million friends. She stayed strong for us. She was resolute.

She was real. She grieved. I remember moments in my childhood and those days after my dad died.

She was so strong. But some mornings, for Don, she thought we were still sleeping.

I would hear crying at my door.

Cannot be alone in her grief. So she taught me to be strong. She taught me to be true.

For my faith is strong and resolute. But I early on felt that I heard

that one of the very few times in my life. I did hear God speak to me.

As I said to myself, I can handle anything. God, I can handle anything. I just can't handle

them not knowing. I can't handle them not knowing. I have to know. And I heard a voice.

And it said, you do know where she is. She's with me. She's with me.

So whether she's on the side still, whether she is in heaven,

I know where she is. I know who she's with. But we need to know.

More of my conversation with Savannah after the break.

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Did you- did you wrestle with your faith throughout this? Your resolute and strong with your mama?

But did you at some point during all of this after wrestle with it?

Yes. Yeah. And I'm not done.

But God doesn't tell us not to wrestle with him.

This isn't some cheap faith.

And my mom taught me that. God only requires our authentic presence.

And that he has. But I never doubted.

Yeah. But my mom said.

And my mom's best friend told me that.

She had been going through a hard time. And she said to my mom,

how have you kept your faith all these years? Why?

Losing your husband, y'all the different things that my mom had been through.

Like how you see how do you keep your faith?

And my mom said to her.

But where else would I go?

And I hold that with me. Where else would I go?

Yeah.

Lin Faith is how I will stay connected to my mom.

God is how I'm holding hands with my mom.

And I will. Let's have this win.

She taught me.

See, it's all her grief.

I saw her a world shudder.

I saw it.

And I saw her get up.

And I saw her believe.

And I saw her love.

And I saw her who.

And I saw her smile.

And I saw her laugh.

I saw her joy.

I saw her love in the world and adventure.

I saw her belief.

I saw her faith.

She taught me.

She taught all of us.

When I may not do it as well as her, but I will do it.

I will do it for my kids.

I will.

I will not fall apart.

I will not let whoever did this.

Take my children's mother from them.

I will not let them take my joy.

It will not take my sister's joy.

It will not take my brother's joy.

It will not take our love.

It will not take our faith.

But our English is real.

We need help.

We need someone to tell the truth.

I have no

anger in my heart.

I have hope in my heart.

I have love.

Did this family need peace?

Yes.

Yes.

I don't think we deserve anything more

or less than any other person.

We don't say why us, why me, why anything.

If I say why me for this horrible thing,

then I have to say why me for all the beautiful blessings of my life.

Well, then, yes, why I don't know why.

I'm grateful for my blessings.

And I'm heartbroken for the sorrow.

I'm heartbroken.

I am crushed, but I am not abandoned.

We are not alone.

Do we need an answer?

And someone has it in their power.

To help is never too late, and when you do,

the warmth of love and forgiveness,

that will come, will be greater than can be imagined.

I know what it is to be forgiven.

Yes.

And there is no greater joy.

And that joy awaits.

Yes.

Whoever can hear this and find it in their heart to help.

You're focusing on people in Tucson.

Somebody there must have seen or known something,

and maybe forgot about it or didn't pay attention to it.

How can someone vanish without a trace?

How?

Someone knows something.

Even if that something is someone's been acting strange for the last

seven, eight weeks, even if it's just that.

Somebody knows.

And maybe somebody's afraid.

And I understand that.

But our hearts are

in agony.

We can't breathe.

We can't live.

We can't go on.

We can't be at peace.

We can't go forward.

We have to know what happened to her.

You talked about coming back to New York.

One of the other enduring images for me

was walking into studio one A and seeing you there.

Speaking to everybody.

What was it like for you walking back in there?

I really wanted to come and see everybody.

Yeah.

I just love this beautiful place that we call home.

We wake it to come and be every day.

And I know how much people have prayed for me and left me.

All the people that you've seen on TV.

And then all the people that you don't.

All the notes and messages that I have received.

I just so beautiful.

I just wanted to be with my family.

They're my family, too.

You said something when you were there and you said,

I don't know how to come back.

And I don't know how not to come back.

Yeah.

That's how I feel.

When I look at the two days show,

which is

the answer to all my dreams actually better than my dreams.

So how about coming back?

I know everyone's wondering.

So it's hard to imagine doing it because it's such a place of joy and lightness.

I can't come back and try to be something that I'm not.

But I cannot not come back because it's my family.

I think it's part of my purpose right now.

I want to smile.

And when I do, it will be real.

I will have joy.

And my joy will be my protest.

My joy will be my answer.

And being there is joyful.

And when it's not, I'll say so.

And I have been so grateful to have this family.

I consider this my family, my greater family.

And when times are hard, you want to be with your family,

then I want to be with my family.

And so I don't know if I can do it.

I don't know if I'll belong anymore.

But I would like to try.

I would like to try.

I'm not going to be the same.

But maybe it's like that whole home.

What beautiful in the broken places.

For anybody with information that leads to the return of Nancy Guthrie,

the Guthrie family is offering a $1 million reward.

The FBI is also offering a $100,000 reward

and encouraging anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

This episode was produced by Jennifer Long and Roberto Bailey.

Our head of audio production is Jessica Fenton.

Libby Least is the executive vice president of Today and Lifestyle.

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