Martin Short Just Opened Up For The First Time About His Daughter's Death—And Fans Are Heartbroken

Content warning: mental illness, suicide

Martin Short has experienced tremendous loss in his life, the latest of which was daughter Katherine's suicide at the age of 42, reportedly after years of struggling with several mental health disorders.

Short previously lost his wife of 30 years, Nancy Dolman, to ovarian cancer in 2010. During their marriage, they adopted three children, Katherine, Oliver, and Henry.

After losing Katherine in late February, Short opened up for the first time during an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, which focused on his acting and comedy career, grief, and choosing to carry on.

When asked about his daughter and how he was processing her loss, Short admitted:

"You know, it's been a nightmare for our family."

"But the understanding is that mental health and cancer, like my wife's, are both diseases."

"And sometimes with diseases, they are terminal."

Short held a weighted pause and then shared:

"My daughter fought for a very long time with extreme mental health issues, borderline personality disorder, other things..."

"And she did the best she could until she couldn't."

"Nancy's last words to me were, 'Martin, let me go,' and I think she [Katherine] was just saying, 'Dad, let me go.'"

While Short has advocated for mental health awareness for years, he said he feels even more committed after Katherine's death.

"I hold a deep desire, and that's why I'm involved in this organization, 'Bring Change 2 Mind,' which Glenn Close started."

"[It] is taking mental health out of the shadows, not being ashamed of it."

"[It's] not hiding from the word 'suicide,' but accepting that this can be the last stage of this terminal illness."

You can watch the segment here:

Short's fans could not imagine what he was going through.

Others took a moment to thank Short for bringing attention to mental health awareness efforts.

You can watch the full CBS Sunday Morning interview here:

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

It's heartbreaking to think about all Martin Short has gone through in his life, and it's inspiring how he uses his experiences to make the world a better place.

By advocating for improved mental health awareness and treatment, we can hopefully give people access to the help they need.

If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp