The family of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie is still waiting for a clear update in the kidnapping of her mother, Nancy Guthrie. The 84-year-old has been missing for over a month, but a suspect has not been identified yet.
Expert explains family’s emotional state
As the search drags on without answers, a family therapist says the uncertainty surrounding the case can be particularly painful for loved ones.
“They’re frozen in their grief. They have a real sense of helplessness,” said Tai Mendenhall, a medical family therapist at the University of Minnesota, according to the Associated Press.
“There’s no clear resolution from it. We know from research that ambiguous loss is the most psychologically painful kind of loss because of that.”
The concept, known as “ambiguous loss,” was first described by researcher Dr. Pauline Boss and refers to a type of grief that occurs when a loved one disappears without clear closure, leaving families suspended between hope and mourning.
Savannah returns to the Today show
On March 5, Savannah Guthrie traveled back to New York City after spending weeks in Tucson, where the search for her mother had been centered.
The 54-year-old journalist returned to NBC’s Studio 1A at Rockefeller Center and was seen emotionally embracing colleagues during her first appearance on the Today show since the disappearance.
Her co-hosts, including Craig Melvin, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, Carson Daly and Jenna Bush Hager, have shown support by wearing small yellow ribbons, a symbol of solidarity with the Guthrie family.
Yellow emerges as symbol of hope
In Tucson, yellow has become the color associated with hope in the search for Nancy Guthrie. Neighbors and supporters have decorated the area around her home with yellow flowers and ribbons as authorities continue to follow leads in the case.
Earlier this week, Savannah also visited a makeshift memorial outside her mother’s home and left flowers.
Savannah shares message with supporters
Despite the uncertainty, Savannah Guthrie has publicly thanked those who have offered support during the ordeal.
After visiting the memorial, she shared a message on social media expressing gratitude for the continued prayers.
“We feel the love and prayers,” she wrote. “Please don’t stop praying and hoping with us.”