By Brenna Keller
NKyTribune Associate Editor,
Although she has lived in Arizona for many years, Nancy Long Guthrie, the missing mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie, is originally from Northern Kentucky.
Nancy, 84, grew up in Fort Wright. She attended elementary school at St. Agnes and graduated from Notre Dame Academy in 1959. Nancy attended the University of Kentucky, where she was a staff member and society editor at the Kentucky Kernal, the student-run newspaper. She met her late husband Charles on a blind date to a UK basketball game.
Nancy was reported missing after failing to attend church on Sunday, February 1. She was last seen at her home outside Tucson, Arizona, the previous night. Nancy has limited mobility, making it impossible for her to leave on her own. She left behind personal belongings, including her wallet, cell phone, and vital medication. Her home is being considered a crime scene by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
Nancy’s friends and family in Northern Kentucky are hoping for her safe return. Although Nancy has lived in Arizona for many years, she has regularly visited with her Northern Kentucky family over the years. Some family members have taken to social media to share updates and request anyone with information on Nancy’s disappearance to contact the authorities.
The St. Agnes Parish Office sent an email to parishioners on Tuesday, February 3, that included a prayer request “for a life-long parishioner and friend of Nancy Long Guthrie, who was abducted from her home on Sunday, wishes prayers for her safe return.”
Also on Tuesday, the Notre Dame Academy Alumnae Facebook page posted “We ask our community to join us in prayer for the safety and protection of our 1959 alumna, Nancy Long Guthrie, who is missing in Arizona. May God surround her and her family with His presence, grant wisdom to those working on her behalf, and bring reassurance in this time of uncertainty. We trust in His care and lift Nancy up in prayer.” The post has been shared over 80 times, with a network of alumnae and friends commenting their prayers and wishes for Nancy’s safe return.
The investigation into Nancy’s disappearance is ongoing. At this time, no suspects have been named.