Who Was Marion Scotto? Rosanna Scotto Cries Live on Air After Song Reminds Her of Mother

Rosanna Scotto struggled to hold back tears during her return to Good Day New York on Tuesday, Sept. 1, when B.J. Thomas’ “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” suddenly brought memories of her late mother, Marion Scotto, flooding back.

The longtime FOX 5 New York anchor paused during the live broadcast as the song played ahead of the morning weather report. “Sorry, sorry.This song reminds me of my parents,” Scotto said while becoming visibly emotional.

She then thanked viewers for the messages and condolences she had received after her mother’s death.

This comes days after Scotto announced Marion’s death at age 90 and stepped away from the morning show to grieve.

FOX 5 reported Marion’s death on Aug. 26, while Scotto’s own tribute that day described the family matriarch as the woman who taught her children the importance of family, hard work, faith and generosity.

Rosanna Scotto Cries on ‘Good Day New York’?

Scotto’s tears were triggered by the familiar song, which she said reminded her of both of her parents.

She managed to add a touch of humor to the difficult moment, saying, “My mother would kill me right now if she saw me crying on the air, so we’re going to get it together.”

After regaining her composure, Scotto continued the broadcast and expressed gratitude for the support she had received from viewers, friends and colleagues.

The following day, she also explained on Instagram why returning to work mattered to her. “Mom would have wanted that,” Scotto said, adding that her mother likely would not have allowed her to stay away for long.

She recalled that after her father, Anthony Scotto, died in 2021, Marion had her children back working at the family restaurant that same night.

Who Was Marion Scotto?

Marion Scotto was more than Rosanna Scotto’s mother.

She was a central figure in the Scotto family’s New York restaurant business and helped turn Fresco by Scotto into a longstanding Midtown Manhattan institution.

The restaurant opened in 1993, with Marion taking a significant financial risk to help launch the family venture.

Her obituary describes her as the family matriarch and notes that she worked alongside her children, including Rosanna, at the restaurant.

She became known for her hospitality and was affectionately called “The Boss.”

FOX 5 remembered Marion as the welcoming face of Fresco by Scotto, where celebrities, public figures and everyday New Yorkers were treated with the same warmth.

The station also noted that she became a familiar presence on FOX 5 broadcasts, particularly during holiday appearances with her family.

Rosanna’s own tribute emphasized that her mother’s greatest legacy was not the restaurant’s celebrity clientele but the values she passed down to her family.

She wrote that Marion taught her children to work hard, take risks when they believed in something and “always make room for one more person.”

Scotto’s Family Legacy

Marion was a mother of four and grandmother whose family remained at the center of her life.

Her husband, Anthony Scotto, died in 2021 after more than six decades of marriage.

FOX 5 noted that Marion continued to be surrounded by her growing family in the years that followed.

Through Fresco by Scotto and frequent television appearances, Marion became familiar to New Yorkers beyond her role as the mother of a prominent television anchor.

As Rosanna returned to the studio Sept. 1, that connection between her personal and professional worlds became especially visible.