Martin Short Breaks Silence on Daughter Katherine's Death: ‘Nightmare'

Martin Short is opening up about the death of his daughter Katherine.

During a Sunday, May 10 appearance on CBS News Sunday Morning, the actor called her death "a nightmare." Katherine died by suicide at the age of 42 in February.

"It's been a nightmare for the family," Short said. "But the understanding [is] that mental health and cancer, like my wife's, are both diseases, and sometimes with diseases they are terminal. 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."

Katherine, who worked as a social worker in Los Angeles, was the eldest daughter of Short and his late wife, actress Nancy Dolman. Nancy died from ovarian cancer in 2010.

RELATED: Martin Short's Daughter Katherine Dies at 42

The Short family previously confirmed Katherine's passing on Feb. 24.

"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," the Short family told People in a statement.

According to People, Katherine worked in private practice as a licensed clinical social worker and worked part-time at the clinic Amae Health providing community outreach, family support groups, peer support and psychotherapy.

She also worked with Glenn Close‘s charity Bring Change 2 Mind, which focuses on reducing stigma around mental health issues.

Throughout the years, Katherine mainly stayed out of the public eye-opting to attend a few events with her father over the years.

Short is set to be featured in the upcoming Netflix documentary film, Marty, Life Is Short, premiering on Tuesday, May 12. The documentary is dedicated to both Katherine and actress Catherine O'Hara, Short's longtime friend and occasional co-star who died in January.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal ideation call or text 988 to connect to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

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This story was originally published May 10, 2026 at 4:34 PM.