It has been three months since Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, was abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona, and frustratingly, there have been no leads in the case.

The TODAY show host continues to seek answers, while support from the public and other survivors remains strong.

This week, kidnapping survivor and advocate Elizabeth Smart offered a heartfelt perspective on Nancy’s case.

In a candid interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett, Smart shared her belief that Nancy could “absolutely still be alive,” a statement that instantly reignited hope among those following the tragic story.

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Smart, now 38, spoke with conviction as she answered Burnett’s question about whether Nancy might have survived. “Absolutely.

She could absolutely still be alive,” Smart said with no hesitation.

She explained that there have been numerous instances in which abducted victims resurfaced years after being declared gone.

“We’re talking years and years, so she could absolutely still be alive,” Smart added. “Of course there is the alternative, but until we know, we have to keep looking.”

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Her final words in the interview were both sobering and inspiring. “Either way, [Nancy] deserves to be brought home,” Smart said.

Smart’s comments aired during CNN’s OutFront and quickly sparked emotional reactions online. Viewers were moved by her empathy and her refusal to give up hope, given her own history as a survivor of abduction.

Elizabeth Smart, who was just 14 when she was kidnapped from her Salt Lake City home in 2002, endured nine months of relentless abuse before she was recognized and rescued.

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Since then, she has become one of the most recognized advocates for survivors of abduction and sexual assault, founding The Elizabeth Smart Foundation to support families facing similar pain.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31 after dinner with her daughter Annie and son-in-law Tommaso Cioni.

They dropped her off at home around 9:45 p.m., and within hours, a masked intruder appeared on her doorbell camera. The video, later released by authorities, showed the man covering the camera with plants before breaking in.

Investigators revealed that the same masked figure had been spotted on the camera before the night of the kidnapping, suggesting a premeditated act.

Disturbingly, blood was later discovered outside Nancy’s home, and her medications, crucial to her survival due to serious heart issues — were left untouched inside.

Despite those grim details, Smart has urged that the search continue with full force. Her stance contrasts sharply with that of some experts, including former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer, who believes the case was a “kidnapping for ransom” that likely ended in tragedy.

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Coffindaffer suggested that the kidnappers “didn’t care and tortured the family with 2 notes knowing the FBI would not recommend paying a ransom without proof of life.” She concluded that “like most cases, this one is simple, but everyone wants to make it complex.”

Authorities have acknowledged receiving ransom notes on February 2 and 3, one addressed to a local media outlet and another sent to TMZ. However, officials have not confirmed any developments or the veracity of the demands.

Savannah Guthrie, 54, returned to the TODAY show last month after spending two months in Tucson assisting with the investigation.

In a tearful interview with her former colleague Hoda Kotb, Savannah spoke openly about her grief yet insisted on remaining strong for her children.

“I will not fall apart,” she said firmly.

“I will not let whoever did this take my children’s mother from them, I will not let them take my joy.” She added that she and her siblings refused to let the perpetrator rob them of their faith or their love for their mother.

Her emotional persistence has resonated deeply with viewers, many of whom see her resilience as a testament to her family’s strength.

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Elizabeth Smart’s words have become a fresh beacon of hope for Savannah and others who still cling to the idea that Nancy could one day return home.

Even as the investigation drags on, Smart’s reminder that “we have to keep looking” captures the unyielding spirit that families of the missing need most.

For supporters across the nation, one message remains clear: the search for Nancy Guthrie must not end.

Whether she is alive or not, as Smart emphasized, she deserves to be brought home.