Savannah Guthrie became emotional on Today after Allison Janney used part of her Emmy night to acknowledge the disappearance of Guthrie’s mother, Nancy.
Janney had just won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for The Diplomat when a reporter asked about the Guthrie family in the press room. The actress said she thinks about Nancy “every day” and about what Savannah and her relatives have endured since the 84-year-old disappeared from her Arizona home.
The following morning, Guthrie thanked Janney on air and said the gesture affected her because it came during someone else’s moment of celebration. She then used the conversation to renew her family’s appeal for anyone with information about Nancy to contact investigators.
“We just want our mom home, give her a proper goodbye. That’s all,” Guthrie said. Nancy was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills area outside Tucson on January 31, and authorities continue investigating her disappearance more than seven months later.
Janney Thought About Nancy After Winning Her Eighth Emmy
Janney’s comments came after the televised ceremony rather than during her acceptance speech. A reporter asked about the compassion she had shown toward Savannah following Nancy’s disappearance, prompting Janney to speak about how closely she had followed the case.
“I honestly can say I think about her every day and think about the loss and what Savannah and her family are going through,” Janney said, according to PEOPLE. She added that she believed many people across the country were continuing to think about the family.
Janney had just won for her portrayal of President Grace Penn on The Diplomat. The victory was the eighth Emmy of her career, tying the all-time record for acting wins shared by Cloris Leachman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Jean Smart also reached eight acting wins during the September 14 ceremony.
Willie Geist introduced Janney’s comments on Today the next morning and described them as an expression of sympathy offered during her own moment of triumph. Guthrie said she had been “so touched” that Janney chose to think about a family she does not personally know.
Guthrie Used the Moment to Renew Her Family’s Plea
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Guthrie said she tries not to let an opportunity pass without talking about Nancy and asking for help. She described the continuing pain felt by her sister, brother and extended family while thanking Janney for giving her another chance to speak publicly about the case.
“I never let a moment pass, if I get one, to talk about my mom and how much we miss her and love her,” Guthrie said. “We’re in such pain. We need help.”
Her reference to a “proper goodbye” follows similar language the family used after authorities released two communications connected to the kidnapping investigation this summer. One was a ransom demand for millions of dollars in bitcoin. A second message, received days later, claimed Nancy had died shortly after being taken and had been buried somewhere outdoors.
Authorities have not confirmed that claim or announced finding Nancy’s remains. When the notes were released in July, Guthrie asked anyone who recognized the language, behavior or circumstances surrounding them to contact investigators and said her family wanted to learn what happened so Nancy could receive “the dignity of a proper goodbye.”
The Search for Nancy Remains Active Seven Months Later
The FBI continues to seek information about an armed, masked individual captured outside Nancy’s home around the time of her disappearance. Doorbell footage shows the person approaching the property and appearing to interfere with the camera.
Nancy is considered a vulnerable adult who has difficulty walking, uses a pacemaker and requires daily medication for a heart condition. Investigators have said the circumstances surrounding her disappearance are consistent with an abduction, and no arrest has been announced.
The FBI is currently offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to Nancy’s location and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. Her family has separately offered a $1 million reward for information that leads to answers in the case.
Anyone with information can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900. Guthrie repeated Tuesday that tips can be provided anonymously as her family continues asking for someone with information to come forward.