The "Today" show calls itself a family. One that broadcasts into America's homes each weekday morning. Over the years that family has gone through a shocking amount of heartbreak, and the stars have movingly supported one another along the way.
Host Savannah Guthrie's missing mom is the latest crisis that the normally upbeat TV crew has had to deal with publicly and on the air from New York City's famously windowed Studio 1A.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was stunningly reported missing from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on Sunday, Feb. 1, with the sheriff's office treating the home as a crime scene. Authorities say Guthrie was "taken from her home against her will." Devastated Savannah Guthrie took leave from "Today" on Feb. 2 and withdrew from hosting the Feb. 6 Olympic opening ceremony in Milan-Cortina, urging fans on Instagram, "Please pray." On Feb. 4, Savannah, sister Annie, and brother Camron issued an emotional video plea for their mother's return.
Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping is a shocking and deeply unusual tragedy, but it is far from the only trauma that the members of the "Today" show have endured over the long history of the morning show. From cancer to the death of spouses to mental health challenges, the hosts have experienced a large share of intense struggles over the years — sharing and processing these hardships with millions of viewers, sometimes in real time.
