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Martin Short is opening up about an unimaginable loss.
In his first public comments since the death of his daughter, Katherine Short, the beloved comedian is speaking candidly about grief, mental illness, and the heartbreak his family has endured in recent months.
Speaking to CBS News Sunday Morning, Short described Katherine’s death in devastatingly honest terms.
“It’s been a nightmare for the family,” he said.
Katherine, the eldest of the three children Short shared with his late wife, Nancy Dolman, died in February at age 42. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed that she died by suicide.
Rather than shy away from the difficult conversation, Short spoke openly about the reality of mental illness and the long struggle his daughter faced.
“The understanding [is] that mental health and cancer, like my wife’s, are both diseases, and sometimes with diseases they are terminal,” he explained.
“And my daughter fought for a long time with extreme mental health, borderline personality disorder, other things, and did the best she could, until she couldn’t.”
That perspective comes from experience.
Short lost his wife, Nancy Dolman, to ovarian cancer in 2010, and during the interview he reflected on parallels between the two devastating losses.
“So, Nan’s last words to me were, ‘Martin, let me go,’” he recalled. “And what [Katherine] was just saying [was], ‘Dad, let me go.’”
Short also said the tragedy has strengthened his desire to change how mental illness is discussed publicly.
He explained that he has “a deep desire” to take “mental health out of the shadows” so people are not “ashamed” to talk about it. He added: “Not hiding from the word suicide, but accepting that this can be the last stage of an illness.”
The actor, who has endured more than his share of personal loss over the years, also reflected on how overwhelming the past several months have been.
“It’s staggering,” he said, before adding: “You just have to breathe in, breathe out.”
Despite largely staying out of the spotlight, Katherine built a career helping others. She earned degrees in psychology and social work and later worked as a licensed clinical social worker in Los Angeles.
For now, Short appears focused on honoring his daughter’s memory by speaking openly — even through immense grief — about the realities of mental illness and the need for compassion.
Martin is currently promoting a new biographical documentary, titled Marty, Life Is Short, which will be available on Netflix beginning May 12.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available by calling or texting 988 in the U.S.
Martin Short Breaks Silence About Daughter’s Suicide: ‘A Nightmare For the … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.