Savannah Guthrie has just paid an emotional tribute to her Today Show co-star Willard Scott, following his tragic death over the weekend.
The beloved weatherman reportedly died peacefully at his farm in Delaplane, Virginia, at the age of 87, on September 4th. He was surrounded by his family, which included his two daughters Sally and Mary, as well as his wife, Paris Keena Scott. Although his wife confirmed that he had suffered with a brief illness, she did not give a specific cause of death.
On September 5th, Guthrie took to Instagram and shared a black and white picture of the late TV personality posing in front of a weather map, with the words, “Willard Scott 1934-2021” underneath. She captioned the photo, “Rest in Peace, dear Willard.”
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As expected, the post received many likes and comments from friends, co-workers, and fans alike. Scott’s co-star Al Roker, who replaced Scott back in 1996 following his semi-retirement (he officially retired in 2015 after 35 years with the morning show) and who he remained very close friends with, was one of the first people to comment on Guthrie’s post.
“If there was a life well lived, it was Uncle Willie’s. What a celebration of life,” Roker wrote.
Roker also spoke about his late former co-star on The Today Show. “When I would watch him, you would see how effortless he would do the weather. He was just being Willard,” Roker told Today.
“I remember thinking if I could do a quarter of that, I could do something,” he continued, before adding that Scott provided a “masterclass on how you should be on TV.”
RIP Willard Scott: a true TV legend who will be missed by all!
