Kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart has expressed hope that Nancy Guthrie may still be alive, more than four months after she was believed to have been abducted from her Arizona home.

Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie, disappeared on the morning of February 1, sparking a nationwide search. Authorities have not identified a suspect, and there is still no confirmed evidence indicating whether she is alive or what may have happened to her.

Speaking in a recent interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett, Smart shared her perspective based on her own experience as a kidnapping survivor.

When asked whether she believes there is still a chance Guthrie could be alive, Smart responded that it is absolutely possible.

“Absolutely. Absolutely. She could absolutely still be alive,” Smart said. “There are cases that span many more years than mine does and they came back alive. And we’re talking years and years. So she could absolutely still be alive.”

She acknowledged that there is also another possibility, but emphasized that until there is certainty, the search must continue.

“Until we know… we have to keep looking,” she added. “She deserves, either way, to be brought home.”

Smart herself was abducted at knifepoint from her Salt Lake City home at age 14 in 2002. She was held captive for nine months by Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee, during which she was abused before being rescued in 2003.

Since her recovery, Smart has become an advocate for missing persons awareness and child safety through the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, which provides support services and self-defense education.

She has also recently shared updates about her personal journey, including her involvement in bodybuilding, saying it has helped her reflect on resilience and recovery.

“My body has carried me through every worst day, every hellish grueling experience,” she wrote on Instagram. “It has created and nurtured three beautiful children, and carried me through every challenge life has presented.”

Meanwhile, the search for Nancy Guthrie continues. She was last seen outside her home on the night of January 31. Investigators reportedly discovered DNA evidence inside the residence, along with surveillance footage showing a masked individual near the property around the time of her disappearance. Blood evidence was also found on the porch, according to reports.

Authorities believe she may have been taken during the night. Her daughter Savannah Guthrie and other family members have offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her recovery.

The case remains active as officials continue to search for answers in what has become a high-profile missing persons investigation.