For the first time, Martin Short is opening up about the death of his daughter, Katherine Short, who took her own life in February of 2026.
On Sunday, May 10, Martin sat down for an interview with CBS News Sunday Morning. The 76-year-old described the tragic death of his daughter, Katherine, at just 42 as a “nightmare for the family.”
Throughout his life, Martin has gone through a devastating amount of loss. His older brother, David, passed away when Martin was 12-years-old, and he later lost both of his parents to health complications while he was still in his teens.
However, the devastation didn’t end there. Martin would later lose his wife, Nancy Dolman, in 2010 to ovarian cancer.
During Sunday’s interview, Martin discussed his most recent loss, comparing his daughter’s struggle with mental illness to his wife’s struggle with cancer.
"But the understanding [is] that mental health and cancer, like my wife's, are both diseases, and sometimes with diseases they are terminal," he said. "And my daughter fought for a long time with extreme mental health, borderline personality disorder, other things, and did the best she couldn’t until she couldn't."
Martin and his late wife welcomed all three of their children, Katherine, Oliver, and Henry, through adoption. Katherine was the oldest. Her death was ruled a suicide by the Los Angeles County coroner.
The Short family later released a statement regarding the tragedy.
"It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short. The Short family is devastated by this loss and asks for privacy at this time. Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.”
Katherine was an accomplished licensed clinical social worker who was dedicated to helping those struggling with mental health throughout the community.
