Martin Short sparks fear as he 'shuts himself away' after family tragedy

Martin Short is reportedly leaning on close friends as troubling reports of devastating private loss circulate online.

According to reports, Short's daughter, Katherine Hartley Short, was allegedly found dead at the age of 42 at her home in Los Angeles.

A source told Radar Online that Short, famously known for his work in Saturday Night Live and Only Murders in the Building has retreated from the public eye. "Martin adored Katherine. The sun rose and set with her, so naturally, he's in turmoil right now and finding it almost impossible to process," the source stated.

Adding, "He knew she was going through a hard time mentally, but not to this extent."

"It's just shocking and unfathomable to him on every level and has taken a wrecking ball to his whole world," they noted.

Martin Short's pals are reportedly rallying around with close friends said to be concerned about how deeply the loss could affect him. "It's not been easy for the many folks who know and love Martin to be by his side or help him out."

"Right now, he's shutting himself away and trying to handle the practical arrangements, while being there for Katherine's two adopted brothers.

"Even Meryl is having a hard time getting through to Martin right now, and suffice to say, she's very concerned. She loves Martin unconditionally, and it's just devastating to see him so shattered and broken," the insider added.

It is pertinent to mention that this comes less than a month after Martin Short's longtime pal Catherine O'Hara passed away.