Actor and comedian Martin Short has spoken publicly for the first time about the death of his daughter, Katherine Short, describing the tragedy as “a nightmare for the family.”
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Short addressed the loss during an emotional appearance on CBS News Sunday Morning ahead of the release of his upcoming Netflix documentary, Marty, Life Is Short.
Katherine Short died by suicide in February at age 42 after what her father described as a long struggle with severe mental health challenges, including borderline personality disorder.
During the interview, Short compared mental illness to physical diseases such as cancer, which claimed the life of his wife, actress Nancy Dolman, in 2010.
He said families must recognize that mental health conditions can become terminal illnesses. Short explained that his daughter fought hard while reflecting on the years she spent battling her condition.
Martin Short Said His Daughter Did Her Best
“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.”
Katherine worked as a licensed clinical social worker and dedicated much of her career to helping people with mental health issues. Reports said she earned degrees from New York University and the University of Southern California before working in community outreach and therapy programs in Los Angeles.
Short and Dolman adopted Katherine along with their two sons, Oliver and Henry. The actor has often spoken about the importance of family throughout his career, but he acknowledged that recent years brought several devastating personal losses.
In addition to losing his daughter and wife, Short has also reflected on the deaths of close relatives and longtime friends, experiences he said shaped his perspective on grief and resilience.
Short, 76, rose to fame through television programs such as SCTV and Saturday Night Live before starring in films including Three Amigos and the Hulu series Only Murders in the Building.