Rosanna Scotto, the longtime co-host of Good Day New York on Fox 5, became visibly emotional during her first broadcast back at work following the death of her mother, Marion Scotto, who passed away at age 90. The moment unfolded live on the Tuesday, September 1, 2026, broadcast, when the song “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” by B.J. Thomas played ahead of the morning weather segment and unexpectedly brought Scotto to tears on air.
Marion Scotto was far more than a beloved parent to one of New York’s most recognizable television personalities. She was the founder and longtime matriarch of Fresco by Scotto, a celebrated Italian restaurant in Midtown Manhattan that has hosted everyone from U.S. presidents to A-list entertainers since it opened in 1993. Her death on August 25, 2026, prompted an outpouring of tributes from Scotto’s colleagues, celebrity friends, and viewers who had followed the Scotto family’s story for decades. Here is a full look at who Marion Scotto was, what happened during Rosanna’s emotional on-air return, and the legacy the Scotto family matriarch leaves behind.
What Happened: Rosanna Scotto’s Emotional Return to Air
On Tuesday, September 1, 2026, Rosanna Scotto returned to Good Day New York for the first time since announcing her mother’s death. The broadcast proceeded normally until B.J. Thomas’ 1969 hit “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” played just before the morning weather forecast. The song caught Scotto off guard, prompting her to tear up on live television.
“Sorry, sorry. This song reminds me of my parents,” Scotto said, pausing to compose herself in front of the cameras. She then thanked viewers for the outpouring of support she had received since sharing news of her mother’s passing. “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, “Mom, I’m sorry.”
Attempting to lighten the moment, Scotto joked that her mother “would kill me right now if she saw me crying on the air, so we’re going to get it together.” Her co-anchor, Dan Bowens, offered his condolences on behalf of the entire Fox 5 team, telling her, “Rosanna, you have our deepest condolences from all of us here at Fox 5 and all of our viewers.” Meteorologist Mike Woods added a warm welcome back, telling Scotto, “Nice to have you back. And we get it, we got you.”
Earlier that same day, Scotto posted a video to her Instagram account announcing her return to work. “We’re back on the saddle. Mom would have wanted it that way,” she told followers, adding that returning to her normal routine so soon after the loss was consistent with how her mother had always approached hardship. She also posted to X, writing that she was “back to navigating life without my Mom” and thanking everyone who had reached out.
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Who Is Marion Scotto: The Matriarch Behind Fresco by Scotto
Marion Scotto, affectionately known to generations of regulars as “Mama Scotto” or simply “The Boss,” was the mother of Fox 5 anchor Rosanna Scotto and the founder of Fresco by Scotto, a longstanding Italian restaurant on East 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan. Before her restaurant career, Marion worked as a coordinator of special events for the Borough of Brooklyn in New York City, later moving into charitable and political fundraising work.
In November 1993, Marion took what her daughter later described as a significant “leap of faith,” opening Fresco by Scotto alongside her children, son Anthony Scotto Jr. and daughters Rosanna and Elaina. To help finance the venture, she and her husband mortgaged the family’s Brooklyn home, the same house where they had raised their four children. Marion herself joked that she “never knew how to cook for two,” a nod to the family-style, large-batch cooking philosophy that would come to define the restaurant’s approach.
Under Marion’s leadership of the front-of-house operations, Fresco by Scotto grew into one of Manhattan’s most recognizable power-lunch destinations, drawing praise from New York Magazine, Gourmet, and The New York Times, along with a three-star rating from Crain’s New York Business. Over the decades, the restaurant welcomed a remarkable roster of guests, including Jay-Z, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Selena Gomez, Sylvester Stallone, Nick Jonas, and Whitney Houston. Marion was known for treating every guest, whether a head of state or a longtime neighborhood regular, with the same warmth and personal attention.
Marion Scotto was married to Anthony Scotto for more than six decades until his death in August 2021 at age 87. Anthony was a well-known and controversial figure in New York labor history, having served as president of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1814, a position that gave him significant influence over the Brooklyn waterfront. He was also linked to organized crime figures through Marion’s own family lineage; her uncle was reputed Gambino crime family boss Albert Anastasia, and her father was Anthony Anastasio, a capo in what was then the Anastasia crime family. Despite a federal conviction in the 1980s tied to his union activities, Anthony Scotto was also known for extensive philanthropic work and deep political connections throughout New York City.
Together, Anthony and Marion raised four children: Rosanna, Elaina, Anthony Jr., and John Scotto, all of whom went on to play roles in the family’s restaurant business or broader professional lives in New York.
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Rosanna Scotto’s Career and the Family Business
Rosanna Scotto, born April 29, 1958, in New York City, has spent nearly four decades as one of the most recognizable faces in New York local news. She began her broadcast career at WTBS in Atlanta before returning to her native New York, first as a reporter for WABC’s “Good Morning New York” and later for the station’s “Eyewitness News.” She joined WNYW, Fox 5 New York, in 1986 as a weekend anchor and reporter, and by 1994 had been promoted to anchor the station’s weekday newscasts alongside veteran anchor Ernie Anastos.
In 2008, Scotto was named co-anchor of Good Day New York, the station’s flagship morning program, a role she has held ever since through a series of co-anchor partnerships, including with Greg Kelly, Lori Stokes, and most recently Curt Menefee. Over her career, Scotto has won multiple Emmy Awards for her anchoring work and has covered major stories throughout the tri-state area, along with assignments that have taken her as far as Israel and Rome.
While building her broadcast career, Scotto also became deeply involved in the family restaurant her mother founded. Alongside her two adult children, Louis “L.J.” Ruggiero Jr. and Jenna Ruggiero, Rosanna now helps operate Fresco by Scotto, continuing the business her mother started more than three decades ago. The restaurant has remained a fixture of Rosanna’s public persona, often appearing alongside her television career in interviews, cooking segments, and media appearances on programs including The Today Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Rosanna married attorney Louis Ruggiero in 1986, and the couple has two children. In February 2024, her son L.J. welcomed a son of his own, making Rosanna a grandmother, a role she has embraced under the nickname “Gigi.”
Timeline of Key Events
1934 — Anthony Scotto, Rosanna’s father, is born.
Circa 1950s–1960s — Anthony and Marion Scotto marry and begin raising their family in Brooklyn.
April 29, 1958 — Rosanna Scotto is born in New York City.
1986 — Rosanna Scotto joins WNYW, Fox 5 New York, as a weekend anchor and reporter.
1993 — Marion Scotto, alongside her children, opens Fresco by Scotto in Midtown Manhattan, mortgaging the family’s Brooklyn home to help finance the venture.
1994 — Rosanna Scotto is promoted to anchor Fox 5’s weekday newscasts.
2008 — Rosanna Scotto is named co-anchor of Good Day New York.
August 2021 — Anthony Scotto, Rosanna’s father and Marion’s husband of more than six decades, dies at age 87.
February 2024 — Rosanna’s son L.J. Ruggiero welcomes a son, making Rosanna a grandmother.
August 25, 2026 — Rosanna Scotto announces the death of her mother, Marion Scotto, at age 90, in a tribute posted to Instagram.
September 1, 2026 — Rosanna Scotto returns to Good Day New York for the first time since her mother’s death and becomes emotional on air after hearing “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.”
A Public Figure’s Private Grief
Rosanna Scotto’s on-air moment resonated with viewers well beyond her usual New York City audience because it captured something universally familiar: the way grief can resurface unexpectedly, triggered by something as simple as a song, even for someone accustomed to performing composure in front of a live television audience every morning. For a broadcaster whose job depends on projecting calm and control, the unscripted display of emotion offered viewers a rare and human glimpse behind the anchor desk.
The moment also highlighted the particular difficulty many public figures face when balancing personal loss with professional responsibilities. Scotto’s decision to return to work just days after her mother’s death, and her repeated insistence that “Mom would have wanted it that way,” reflects a pattern common among children of small business owners and entrepreneurs, many of whom describe a similar drive to keep moving forward as a way of honoring a parent’s legacy and work ethic.
Industry Reaction
Scotto’s colleagues at Fox 5 offered immediate support during the broadcast itself, with co-anchor Dan Bowens and meteorologist Mike Woods both publicly acknowledging her loss on air. Beyond her immediate broadcast team, Scotto received condolences from a wide range of media figures and celebrities following her initial announcement of her mother’s death, including Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, Andy Cohen, Deborah Roberts, Gloria Gaynor, Debi Mazar, Jill Martin, and several stars from the Real Housewives franchise, including Dolores Catania, Melissa Gorga, and Margaret Josephs.
The scale of the response reflects Scotto’s decades-long standing within New York media circles, as well as the broader recognition of the Scotto family’s public profile through Fresco by Scotto, a restaurant that has served as an informal gathering place for entertainment and media professionals for more than 30 years.
Social Media Reaction
Following the broadcast, clips of Scotto’s emotional moment circulated widely across social media platforms, with viewers expressing empathy and admiration for her decision to continue the show despite her visible grief. Many commenters highlighted the relatability of being caught off guard by a song associated with a lost loved one, a common experience that resonated broadly beyond Scotto’s regular viewership.
Scotto herself continued to engage directly with her audience following the broadcast, posting to both Instagram and X to thank fans and followers for their continued messages of support. Her tone throughout remained consistent with the sentiment she expressed on air: gratitude for the outpouring of care, paired with a determination to honor her mother by returning to her normal routine.
Interesting Facts About Marion Scotto and the Scotto Family
Marion Scotto’s restaurant, Fresco by Scotto, has operated continuously at the same Midtown Manhattan location on East 52nd Street since it opened in November 1993, an unusually long run for an independent restaurant in one of the most competitive dining markets in the world.
Marion’s family background connects to one of the most well-documented chapters of New York organized crime history. Her uncle, Albert Anastasia, was a founding figure of the modern American Mafia and a boss of what became the Gambino crime family, while her father, Anthony Anastasio, was a capo in the same organization.
Rosanna Scotto’s father, Anthony Scotto, was convicted in the 1980s on federal charges related to his leadership of the International Longshoremen’s Association, yet he remained a well-regarded figure in New York political and philanthropic circles until his death in 2021.
Fresco by Scotto has been featured on numerous national television programs over the years, including The Today Show, Live with Regis and Kelly, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often with multiple generations of the Scotto family appearing together.
Rosanna Scotto briefly gained internet notoriety in April 2010 for an on-air comment suggesting an alternative term for soy milk, a moment that, alongside her 2026 emotional broadcast, has become one of her most widely referenced live television moments.
Career Impact
Marion Scotto’s death is unlikely to affect the day-to-day operations of Fresco by Scotto, which has transitioned in recent years to being run primarily by Rosanna alongside her own children, Jenna and Louis “L.J.” Ruggiero Jr. The restaurant’s operational structure, already built around a multi-generational family model, positions it to continue Marion’s legacy without significant disruption to its business operations.
For Rosanna Scotto, the personal loss arrives at a moment when she remains the sole consistent anchor presence on Good Day New York following a series of co-anchor transitions in recent years, including the departure of Curt Menefee at the end of 2025. Her decision to return to the anchor desk so quickly after her mother’s death, rather than extending her time away, reflects both her professional commitment to the program and, by her own account, a value system inherited directly from her mother’s approach to work and resilience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Rosanna Scotto’s mother?
Rosanna Scotto’s mother was Marion Scotto, the founder and longtime matriarch of Fresco by Scotto, a well-known Italian restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. Marion opened the restaurant in 1993 alongside her children and ran its front-of-house operations for decades before her death at age 90 on August 25, 2026.
How old was Marion Scotto when she died?
Marion Scotto was 90 years old at the time of her death, which was announced by her daughter Rosanna Scotto on August 25, 2026.
What restaurant did Marion Scotto own?
Marion Scotto founded Fresco by Scotto, an upscale Italian restaurant located on East 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, which opened in November 1993 and has since become known for hosting celebrities, politicians, and entertainment industry professionals.
Why did Rosanna Scotto cry on air?
Rosanna Scotto became emotional during her first broadcast back at work after her mother’s death when the song “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” by B.J. Thomas played ahead of the weather forecast, unexpectedly reminding her of her parents.
Who is Rosanna Scotto’s father?
Rosanna Scotto’s father was Anthony Scotto, who served as president of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1814 and was a well-known, though controversial, figure in New York labor and political circles. He died in August 2021 at age 87, after more than six decades of marriage to Marion Scotto.
Is Fresco by Scotto still open?
Yes. As of the time of Marion Scotto’s death, Fresco by Scotto remains open and continues to operate under the management of the younger generation of the Scotto family, including Rosanna Scotto and her children, Jenna and Louis “L.J.” Ruggiero Jr.
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Last Updated on September 2, 2026 by 247 News Around The World
