Savannah Guthrie Returns to 'Today' Amidst Mother's Disappearance: 'My Joy Will Be My Protest'

Savannah Guthrie is set to return to 'Today' on Monday, April 6, amid her mother’s ongoing disappearance. The news was announced as the second part of Guthrie’s 'Today' interview with Hoda Kotb aired, bringing with it more tears as the anchor sat down for the first time to discuss the disappearance of her mother, Nancy. She was reported missing on Feb. 1, with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department calling her disappearance a presumed kidnapping. The FBI later joined in the search, but no suspects have been publicly revealed or arrested.

Guthrie told Kotb during the second part of her 'Today' interview that 'it’s hard to imagine' coming back to 'Today' because 'it’s such a place of joy and lightness'. 'I can’t come back and try to be something that I’m not. But I can’t not come back, because it’s my family. I think it’s part of my purpose right now. I want to smile. And when I do, it will be real. And my joy will be my protest,' she said. 'My joy will be my answer and being there is joyful. And when it’s not, I’ll say so. I’ve been so grateful to have this family. I consider this my family, my greater family. And when times are hard, you want to be with your family. And I want to be with my family. And so, I don’t know if I can do it. I don’t know if I’ll belong anymore. But I would like to try. And I’m not going to be the same, but maybe it’s like that old poem: 'More beautiful in the broken places'.'

In the first part of the interview, which aired Thursday, Guthrie broke down in tears as she considered the possibility that her mom’s disappearance was her own fault given her public persona. The news anchor said that idea 'is too much to bear'. '[I asked my brother] do you think it’s because of me? He said, 'Well, I’m sorry sweetie, but yeah, maybe.' But I knew that. I hope not. I mean, we still don’t know,' Guthrie said. 'Honestly, we don’t know anything. So I don’t know that it’s because she’s my mom and somebody thought, 'Oh, that lady has money, we can make a quick buck.' I mean, that would make sense, but we don’t know… To think that I brought this to her bedside, that it’s because of me. And I just have to say, I’m so sorry, mommy. I am so sorry. I’m sorry to my sister and my brother and my kids and my nephew and Tommy, my brother-in-law. I’m so sorry. If it is me, I’m so sorry.'

Guthrie also confronted the rampant social media rumors claiming her own family members had something to do with Nancy’s disappearance. She called such rumors 'unbearable' and said they 'pile pain upon pain'. 'No one took better care of my mom than my sister and brother-in-law. No one protected my mom more than my brother. And we love her and she is our shining light, she’s our matriarch. She’s all we have,' Guthrie said.

Guthrie confronts social media rumors involving her family in her mother's disappearance. Guthrie called these rumors 'unbearable'. She emphasized her family's love and support, highlighting that they are her 'shining light' and 'matriarch'.

The anchor expressed her gratitude and love for her family, despite the difficulty of the situation. Guthrie returns to 'Today' with the hope of finding comfort and support in her work and her 'greater family'.