Savannah Guthrie has penned a heartfelt note to her NBC News colleague Richard Engel and his wife Mary following the death of their 6-year-old son Henry.
Reflecting on their son's battle with Rett syndrome, Savannah called Richard and Mary "amazing warriors for Henry" who'd been "pouring your love and care into him and fighting for him every day with everything you've got."
"To me, you are the personification of what it means to be a parent," the Today host wrote in an Aug. 18 Instagram post, "to love, adore, and delight in your child, and bring every ounce of your beings to their flourishing. You're my heroes."
She then shared a message to Henry. "My dear Henry, you will be missed," Savannah continued. "I will always remember the twinkle in your eye. We will keep fighting for you."
The anchor also called for donations to keep the research into Rett syndrome going in Henry's honor, noting "much progress has been made because of him" and "others can and will be helped."
Along with her message, Savannah shared a series of throwback photos of Richard, Mary and Henry at the Today show, including one of her holding the child.
Henry, who was born in 2015, passed away on Aug. 9, according to a memorial page set up for him on the website for Texas Children's Hospital's Duncan Neurological Research Institute where he'd been receiving care. His parents announced his passing in a statement on Twitter Aug. 18.
"He had the softest blue eyes, an easy smile and a contagious giggle," a tweet shared to Richard's account read. "We always surrounded him with love and he returned it, and so much more."
In a reflection of Henry's life, the Duncan NRI memorial page shared that he was diagnosed with Rett syndrome after undergoing a series of medical tests when his parents noticed he was not reaching developmental milestones.
"A genetic test ultimately provided the answer: Henry had a mutation in his MECP2 gene," the memorial page said. "MECP2 mutations cause Rett syndrome, a disorder that typically affects girls after their first birthday, robbing them of learned skills and leaving them with cognitive deficits, loss of speech, and a variety of motor difficulties."
Today reported that Henry's Rett syndrome diagnosis came in 2017, when he was just 2 years old. During his time at Texas Children's Hospital, he received care from Dr. Huda Zoghbi, who studied his genetic mutation.
In May, Richard announced that Henry's condition had "taken a turn for the worse."
"His condition progressed and he's developed dystonia: uncontrolled shaking/ stiffness," the NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent tweeted at the time. "He was in the hospital for 6 weeks, but is now home and getting love from brother Theo."
The hospital noted Dr. Huda and her team are continuing to try and find treatments for Rett syndrome, noting "they already are making significant progress with Henry's own cells." And Henry will always hold a special place in their hearts.
"Henry was special in so many ways," Dr. Huda said in a statement shared on the hospital's page. "His loving and endearing smile, and the way he connected with his eyes, stole my heart from the time I met him. His quiet fight against this terrible disease was incredible. What is most amazing, however, is the impact Henry had on so many of us at the Duncan NRI and on our Rett research. We will continue to push as hard as possible to develop treatments. This is how we will honor his life."
(E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family).