My heart sank Wednesday evening as I watched a grief-stricken Savannah Guthrie pleading with an unknown kidnapper to return her 84-year-old mother to her family. I thought to myself: 'Savannah is one of the nicest people I've met. This must be absolute hell for her.' Who could ever hate her? I've been a broadcaster for 35 years, I've spent well over half my life on TV, and I have become a good judge of character. I instantly know when I meet someone famous - whether it's another TV host, an actor, musician or politician - if they're full of hot garbage or if they're the real deal. It's about a 50/50 split.
Why Savannah Guthrie Stands Apart
I've met the Today show host a few times, and I can tell you she is a cool person who lights up when she talks about her family. There is nothing phony about her, and I could also tell from our brief exchanges that her graciousness and good nature is rooted in genuine decency. Most people who exist in her orbit look right past you (I'm talking about you, Dana Bash and Lester Holt!) and if they must talk to a commoner, they'll make every nanosecond about themselves. Savannah is different: she has a light in her eyes and a natural curiosity that speaks to a deeper goodness. She obviously has this connection with her co-workers; that was evident when her clearly emotional Today show co-host Craig Melvin opened Thursday's broadcast with the video plea Savannah, along with her sister Annie and brother Camron, made for the person who took their mom.
A Daughter's Plea for an Elderly Mother's Survival
Savannah, rattled yet professional, spoke with purpose: 'She is 84 years old, her health, her heart is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. She needs it not to suffer.' Then Savannah shifted and spoke directly to her mom, their depth of love evident in every word: 'Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman. You are God's precious daughter.' We are all transfixed by this story because we need a miracle for this family. Elderly abduction is exceedingly rare. For it to happen to a public person is nearly unprecedented.
There are reports of talk within NBC that they've tightened security and told employees (especially the on-air variety) to be especially vigilant in light of Nancy's disappearance. Of course, no one knows what happened to Nancy Guthrie in the wee hours of Sunday morning, which also means no one at NBC knows if this is somehow motivated by a professional grudge. At times like this it feels like no one is safe. In an era of senseless violence and assassinations - political, targeted, random - it's disturbingly easy to entertain the darkest possible scenarios. Nancy has been a fixture with her daughter on the Today show because she radiates the same relatable kindness. The Daily Mail has reported that the authorities are investigating NBC 'superfans' who lavished Savannah with gifts and letters before her mother was abducted.
I hope and pray that Savannah is not considering whether those on-air appearances somehow led to this. Like Savannah, I have an 84-year-old mother, and although as moms ourselves we are conditioned to endlessly worry about our own children (college-age kids breed their own sleepless nights), we typically don't account for the worry we'll pour into our aging parents until tragedy strikes. I cannot imagine what the Guthrie family is feeling right now. No one could have conceived such a high-profile nightmare. But these days, it seems nearly anything is possible. Before Charlie Kirk's September murder, I would not have assumed someone would have been capable of such unspeakable brutality against a person that they only knew as a media caricature. Then, in the killing's aftermath, I was disgusted not only by the act itself but by the number of seemingly rational people who cheered it on.
After Charlie's death a lot of my conservative friends who make a living onstage were considering whether it was safe to continue performing. Bravely, the quick answer was a resounding 'yes', as avoiding the stage would've been a capitulation to these cowardly, evil forces so desperate to drive us apart. As of this writing, no one knows if some hell bound thug, radicalized nut or someone else entirely kidnapped a nice older lady, the mother of a telegenic TV anchor, from the safety of her Arizona bed. I will not speculate about the identity of Nancy Guthrie's kidnapper.
But it must be said that ordinary people today - teachers, professors, soccer moms and dads - are now so consumed by hatred that they've become blind to the common humanity that used to bind us together. With every senseless act, the world feels like it is coming even further undone. I am heartbroken for the Guthrie family and terrified that these forces have touched them.