Hoda Kotb returns to 'Today' as Savannah Guthrie searches for her missing mother

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: The 'Today' show briefly reunited with one of its most familiar faces this week, as Hoda Kotb returned to the studio on Friday, Feb 6, during Savannah Guthrie’s absence.

Guthrie has been off the air as authorities in Arizona continue their search for her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, whom investigators believe was taken from her home against her will.

Hoda Kotb’s return amid crisis

Kotb, who stepped away from her permanent role on 'Today' earlier this year, appeared on the program to introduce a segment updating viewers on the ongoing search.

Her return was emotionally charged, reflecting the close bond shared among the show’s longtime hosts.

Kotb recalled moments when Guthrie showed up for her during personal hardship.

“I’m looking at us and I was thinking- who was first in the hospital when Hope was sick? Savannah,” Kotb said, referencing her daughter. “She was there.”

The studio grew visibly emotional as Carson Daly, Sheinelle Jones and Craig Melvin listened. Kotb emphasized that, for now, support is all they can offer.

“They say love is patient, love is kind,” she said. “Put prayers up. That’s all we can do.”

Craig Melvin later reflected on the moment, acknowledging the emotional toll the situation had taken on the team.

“It’s just that feeling of helplessness,” Melvin said. “And we’re not helpless because it’s prayer and hope.”

As the show grappled with the absence of one of its anchors, developments in Arizona underscored the seriousness of the case.

What investigators say so far

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed that blood found on the porch of Nancy Guthrie’s home outside Tucson belonged to her.

“The only DNA evidence we got back is on the porch,” Nanos told reporters. “We saw the importance of that blood. It came back to Nancy.”

Authorities say Nancy arrived home around 9:48 pm and closed her garage door minutes later.

Several hours afterward, her doorbell camera went offline. About 45 minutes after that, her pacemaker lost communication with her cellphone. Investigators believe she was taken during the night.

Savannah Guthrie and her family released a video appeal earlier this week, urging whoever is responsible to bring Nancy home.

“Our mom is our heart and our home,” Guthrie said in the recording. “She’s 84 years old. Her health is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. She needs it not to suffer.”

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie or the arrest and conviction of those involved in her disappearance. 

Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her residence in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona.