Martin Short is opening up for the first time about the devastating loss of his daughter, Katherine Short. In an emotional interview, the actor described her death as “a nightmare for the family” while speaking candidly about her years-long struggle with severe mental health issues. Katherine died in February at the age of 42. According to reports from the Los Angeles coroner, her death was caused by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Short said his daughter had been battling mental illness for years and did everything she could to keep fighting.
“Mental health and cancer are both diseases,” he explained, referencing the death of his late wife, Nancy Dolman, who passed away from ovarian cancer in 2010. “Sometimes with diseases they are terminal.”
He added that Katherine “fought for a long time with extreme mental health, borderline personality disorder, other things, and did the best she could until she couldn’t.”
Katherine was deeply involved in mental health advocacy throughout her career. She worked as a licensed social worker in Los Angeles and supported organizations focused on reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness.
She graduated from New York University with a degree in psychology and gender sexuality studies before later earning a master’s degree in social work from University of Southern California.
She also worked at UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital before moving into private practice.
The interview comes shortly before the release of Short’s upcoming Netflix documentary, Marty, Life Is Short, which looks back at his decades-long career in entertainment.
Over the years, Short has occasionally spoken about grief and loss, especially after the death of Dolman, but this marks one of the first times he has publicly addressed Katherine’s passing directly.
Fans and fellow entertainers have shared condolences online, with many praising Katherine’s advocacy work and the honesty with which Short discussed mental health.
If you or someone you know is struggling, support resources are available through suicide prevention and mental health crisis services in your region.