Savannah Guthrie is finding some new support in the ongoing ordeal involving her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, with a former colleague now making pleas to the Today Show’s network, NBC, to pay the ransom demanded by her alleged abductors.

Guthrie’s mother, 84, was reported missing on Sunday, February 1, after failing to show up to church. She had last been seen the night before, when family members dropped her off at her home just before 10pm.

Since then, a ransom note has allegedly surfaced demanding the family pay $6 million in Bitcoin by Monday, February 9, though authorities have not verified the authenticity of these communications.

An emotional plea shared on Guthrie’s Instagram on Saturday, February 7, appeared to address a ransom, in which she said she and her siblings “understand” and “will pay” for their mother’s safe return. 

Now, her former colleague, Billy Bush, who worked on Today‘s third hour in 2016, has weighed in on the ordeal, saying he believes  NBC should cover the cost on behalf of the family during this trying time.

Bush, 54, shared his opinion during an appearance on The Sunday briefing on  Fox News, arguing that the amount requested by the alleged abductors wouldn’t be any obstacle for NBC, and he was “very hopeful and optimistic” that a ransom note existing meant Nancy could still be alive.

“The report is that Monday by five o’clock they want a $6 million bitcoin ransom; that means Nancy Guthrie is well,” he said. “And $6 million for NBC is, well, a quick hit send. They should be able to get that done very easily.”

He also shared that it was clear to him in the emotional video shared by Savannah and her siblings–brother Camron and sister Annie–that the ordeal was taking a devastating emotional toll on the Today Show host.

“[She was] notably more beaten down, sa, wearing the same clothes as she was wearing in the first one,” he noted. “She’s obviously getting no sleep at all.”

Bush also emphasized that, at this point, if the ransom note was valid, it was likely the only viable way to get Nancy home safely.

The search for Nancy Guthrie has officially entered its eighth day, and authorities continue to say they have no idea of her whereabouts, or identities on any suspects or persons of interest.

However, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has insisted that he still believes she is alive in press updates.

“What I believe is that Nancy was removed from her home against her will, and that we need to find her. That’s what I believe. She’s still alive.”

The search for Nancy has continued to cause increased alarm and concern for family members because she also needs daily medication.

She is reportedly unable to walk more than 50 yards unassisted and missing more than one day of her medication could be fatal.