Rosanna Scotto, a beloved anchor on Good Day New York, broke down crying over the passing of her mother while anchoring the program, however, her co-hosts came to her aid and offered her the comfort she needed to endure the fresh pain of loss. The moment came after Scotto, 68, announced that her mother, Marion, 90, died the week prior.
The anchor shared the heart-rending news with the viewing audience because, over the years, they had grown to love “Mama Scotto,” as she would often appear on the long-running television program, making numerous appearances during the holiday season to share recipes. After a few days off the air, Scotto returned to the set, but was still emotional as she started to shed a few tears while sharing the news.
The moment occurred just before the morning weather broadcast, as B.J. Thomas’ hit song “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” played. “Sorry, sorry. This song reminds me of my parents,” Scotto said, tearing up. Scotto’s father, Anthony, died in 2021. “Anyway, thank you so much for all the comments and text messages and whatever,” she said to the audience.
According to a report from The Daily Mail, the Emmy-award winning journalist then said, “My mother would kill me right now if she saw me crying on the air, so we’re going to get it together.” Scotto once again thanked viewers for the outpouring of support she had received since her mother died. The anchor also received condolences from some of her famous friends such as Andy Cohen and Hoda Kotb.
“I just want to say thank you to everybody who has been so kind and supportive of my mother’s passing,” she said. “Anyway, Mom, I’m sorry.” After talking about her mom, many of her co-workers also offered her their support. “Rosanna, you have our deepest condolences from all of us here at Fox 5 and all of our viewers,” co-anchor Dan Bowens said to her on-air.
Meteorologist Mike Woods piped in, saying, “Yes, nice to have you back. And we get it, we got you.” Scotto has been an anchor on the popular program since 2008 and has played some kind of role at the television station since 1986. Scotto also got on social media platform X where she shared a message with followers that marked her first day back on the job.
“Back to work… back to navigating life without my mom. Appreciate everyone who reached out,” she wrote on X, adding a set of praying hands and a heart emoji at the end. Scotto isn’t just a broadcast journalist. She, along with her family, own and operate a very popular New York City restaurant, Fresco by Scotto, which has played host to world leaders and high-profile celebrities, including President Donald Trump.
"*" indicates required fields
The anchor announced the news of her mother’s passing in a video published on Instagram, mourning the loss. “To the world, Marion Scotto became known as the heart of Fresco by Scotto. But to us, she was simply mom,” Scotto said in a lengthy tribute caption. “The woman who taught us that family comes first, that hard work is a privilege, and that faith, love and determination can carry you through almost anything.”
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video