Comedian and musician Reggie Watts penned a heartfelt tribute to his girlfriend, Katherine Early McCollough, in an Instagram post following her death.
“Katherine, I will miss you so much,” Watts began. “I know you were in pain, and while I tried everything could to reflect the light you brought into this world, the sorrow became too much to overcome. You changed my life. You opened up my vulnerability and taught me how to receive love from someone so close.”
“We built a life together, went on adventures, and we took chances together. You had a natural radiance that people could feel from so far away — a light you carried despite the difficult path you walked from childhood. I've been processing so much. I know you can hear me, and I honor the intentionality of your journey. You planned your time in Lima beautifully — the coast, the art, the meals shared with a friend. While it is so difficult for those of us left behind, I understand your need for peace."
“I am so grateful for everything we shared, and I will hold onto the light you gave me forever," he wrote. "Please say hello to my mother. You never got to meet her, but I know she would have been so happy to see how kind you were to me. You took care of me in a way I know she always wanted for me. I love you, Katherine. I always will. You are a part of me, as you always have been."
Since eulogizing McCullough, Watts was met with an outpouring of support from comedians and musicians alike, with Kenan Thompson, Imogen Heap, Sarah Silverman, Chris Fleming and more extending condolences.
The couple began dating in 2024. McCullough, a comedy event producer, was reportedly found dead in a hotel room in Lima, Peru on March 28. According to local newspaper La Republica, McCollough, 36, was found dead alongside a 38-year-old German man named Fabian Gorldt in what authorities believe may have been a double suicide.
In the wake of her passing, McCollough’s family launched a GoFundMe to cover transportation and funeral costs, which you can find here. As of the time of publishing, it has raised nearly $31,000 of its $40,000 goal.
For more information about suicide prevention or to speak with someone confidentially, call or text with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
