Savannah Guthrie Appeals for Prayers Amid Search for Missing Mother
Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie has publicly revealed her deep faith in God as she urges fans and followers to keep her beloved missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, in their prayers to help "bring her home." The emotional plea comes as the frantic search for the 84-year-old enters its third consecutive day, with authorities now investigating a possible kidnapping from her Arizona residence.
Nancy Guthrie's Disappearance from Affluent Tucson Neighborhood
Nancy Guthrie, a devout mother-of-three, was reported missing from her $1 million Arizona home on Sunday after she failed to appear for morning mass. The 84-year-old was last seen at approximately 9:45pm on Saturday in Tucson's affluent Catalina Foothills neighborhood. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos revealed to the Daily Mail on Tuesday night that he believes Nancy was snatched from her bed during the middle of the night, with blood discovered inside her home after a kidnapper allegedly forced entry into the property.
Sheriff Nanos stated that while authorities are not dismissing any angles, they currently have no evidence suggesting Nancy was targeted specifically because she is Savannah Guthrie's mother. The sheriff added that law enforcement does not believe the general public is in any immediate danger from this incident, though the investigation remains active and ongoing.
Guthrie's Public Demonstration of Faith and Prayer
As the search for her mother continues, Savannah Guthrie has demonstrated her unwavering faith through social media appeals. In an Instagram post shared on Tuesday night, the journalist told her followers "we need you" as she asked for collective prayers. Guthrie wrote: "We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We believe in goodness, we believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him."
She continued with a heartfelt message: "Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant." Guthrie then asked her social media followers to "raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment," concluding with the emotional plea to "bring her home."
The Foundation of Guthrie's Faith Journey
Guthrie has consistently credited her mother with helping her develop a close connection to God throughout her life. Speaking on the Today show in May 2023, she reflected: "The greatest gift my mother gave me was faith and belief in God. It changed my whole life." Her sister, Annie, has similarly noted that God was essentially the sixth member of their family during their upbringing in Arizona alongside brother Camron.
The journalist has experienced what she describes as "seasons of devout study and enthusiasm" about her faith over the years, balanced with "seasons of distance and disappointment." Guthrie previously told Today: "All of what I have come to realize is that all of that is my faith story: belief and doubt, you know, joy, and also disappointment and sorrow. It's all part of my faith journey. It's all enhanced what I believe and have come to understand about God."
Guthrie's Literary Exploration of Faith
In February 2024, Guthrie published a book titled Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love, which explores six facets of faith through personal essays: love, presence, grace, hope, gratitude, and purpose. The collection is intentionally accessible to readers across the belief spectrum, as Guthrie explained: "You may be faith-full, you may be faith-curious, you may be faith-less, still scarred by a toxic religiosity of your past."
She emphasized her humble approach to spiritual writing: "I'm not writing this book from some mountaintop where I've received some wisdom, and now I'm imparting it to the world. No, I'm still down here, struggling. Still down here, disappointing myself. I'm still down here, needing faith, needing grace, needing mercy, needing love. That's why I wrote the book — because I'm the person that needs to read it. And so I thought, if I do, then maybe others do, too."
Passing Faith to the Next Generation
Guthrie and her husband, Mike Feldman, have intentionally introduced God and prayer rituals to their two children, Vale (11) and Charley (9). She explained her parenting philosophy regarding faith: "What I know is that it's my job to give them the building blocks to teach them about the God that I know and help foster that connection. And then I also know that when they grow up, it will be their choice. And it's just my job to give them as much information but also experience with God as I possibly can."
As the search for Nancy Guthrie continues in Arizona, Savannah Guthrie's public appeals highlight how her personal faith journey has prepared her for this challenging moment, turning to prayer and community support during her family's crisis.
