EXCLUSIVE: Shattered Savannah Guthrie 'May Never Bounce Back' — Insiders Warn Mom's Abduction Could Derail Her Future on 'Today'
Savannah Guthrie may never bounce back after her mom's abduction threatens her future on 'Today.'
Feb. 25 2026, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
Savannah Guthrie made a heart-wrenching public plea for the safe return of her apparently kidnapped 84-year-old mom, Nancy Guthrie, as sources close to the Today host fear she may never be able to bounce back from the devastating ordeal.
"No matter how this ends, Savannah has been completely shaken," a source exclusively told RadarOnline.com. "Having her mother wrenched away from her like this has thrown her for a loop in a way friends have never seen before."
Kidnap Horror Shakes Journalist
Sources said Savannah Guthrie made a public plea for Nancy Guthrie's safe return.
The 54-year-old TV journalist immediately stepped away from the morning show after cops said they believe frail Nancy – who has a pacemaker and requires daily medication – was snatched while she slept, sometime after being dropped off at her residence by her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, around 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 31 following a family dinner.
Sources said the shocking development has completely reset Savannah's priorities.
"Her only focus is protecting her family," a source shared. "Returning to Today is absolutely the last thing on her mind."
Distraught Savannah and her siblings – Annie and Camron – tearfully begged for their mother's return in an Instagram video with the newsgal saying: "She has grandchildren that adore her and crowd around her and cover her with kisses."
The nearly four-minute video references a ransom note, though it's not clear whether it was genuine – especially after a suspected imposter was arrested for allegedly faking one.
Family Pleads With Abductor
Police said Tommaso Cioni was the last person to see Nancy before her disappearance.
"We are ready to talk," Savannah says, addressing unknown culprits. "We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her."
Sources shared the idea that a kidnapper may be someone close to the family, which is particularly wrenching to Savannah.
Cioni, Annie's husband, was the last person to see Nancy before her disappearance, but police have denied he is a suspect.
In addition, damaged surveillance cameras inside Nancy's home have triggered talk of an "inside job."
"Whoever this possible abductor is, they knew where those cameras were pointing," another source said. "They were able to smash the cameras before their motion was visible in the recordings or streams. That takes a chilling level of intel."
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NBC colleagues have rallied around Savannah as she steps away from 'Today.'
Meanwhile, insiders said Savannah's NBC colleagues have rallied around her.
"This isn't a corporate concern," the source said. "This is personal."
Now, friends are wondering if she may ever return to Today.
"Savannah is devastated – and fearing the worst. She's trying to be strong, but this has shattered her," the source confided. "She's questioning everything – her career, her public life and whether staying in the spotlight is worth the risk to her family's safety."
