Rosanna Scotto received a warm welcome back to “Good Day New York” as she returned to the anchor desk following the death of her mother, Marion Scotto.
Rosanna Scotto’s Emotional Tribute to Mom Marion Scotto on ‘Good Day New York’
The longtime New York television personality, 68, became emotional during the Sept. 1 broadcast when B.J. Thomas’ “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” played ahead of the weather forecast. The song brought back memories of both of her late parents.
“Sorry, sorry. This song reminds me of my parents,” Scotto said as she became tearful.
She then thanked viewers for the messages of support she has received since announcing her mother’s death.
“Anyway, thank you so much for all the comments and text messages and whatever,” she continued. “My mother would kill me right now if she saw me crying on the air, so we’re going to get it together.”
Rosanna Scotto Thanks Fans for Their Support After Her Mother’s Death
Scotto announced on Aug. 26 that Marion had died at age 90. The news prompted an outpouring of condolences, including messages from Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, Andy Cohen, Gloria Gaynor, Debi Mazar, Jill Martin, Dolores Catania, Melissa Gorga and Margaret Josephs.
Back at work days later, Scotto made a point of acknowledging the support she and her family had received.
“I just want to say thank you to everybody who has been so kind and supportive of my mother’s passing,” she said before looking upward and adding, “Anyway, like I said. Mom, I’m sorry.”
Her colleagues were quick to rally around her during the emotional moment.
“Rosanna, you have our deepest condolences from all of us here at Fox 5 and all of our viewers,” co-anchor Dan Bowens told her.
Scotto had also addressed her return to work in an Instagram video, sharing her appreciation for the many messages she received following her loss.
“We’re back in the saddle,” she began. “Thank you for the text messages, the comments, the Instagram messages. Appreciate it so much. It was really lovely.”
Although Scotto said she was still “relishing every text message,” she felt it was time to get back to work — something she believed her mother would have encouraged.
“Mom would have wanted that,” she explained.
Rosanna Scotto Remembers Mom Marion Scotto’s Family Legacy
When Scotto announced her mother’s death, she remembered Marion as both the center of their family and a driving force behind their longtime New York restaurant, Fresco by Scotto.
“To the world, Marion Scotto became known as the heart of Fresco by Scotto. But to us, she was simply Mom,” Scotto wrote. “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.”
Marion was a mother of four and grandmother of eight, and Scotto said her mother’s greatest joy came from watching their family continue to grow.
She also credited Marion’s willingness to take a major risk with helping establish Fresco by Scotto more than three decades ago. When the family had the opportunity to open a restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, Marion mortgaged the Brooklyn home where she and her husband had raised their children to help make the business possible.
“Most people would’ve walked away. Not our mother,” Scotto wrote. “She believed in her family. She believed in hard work. And she believed that if you welcomed every guest as though they were entering your home, success would follow. She was right.”
