Martin Short calls daughter Katherine Hartley's death 'nightmare'

Martin Short finally revealed how the death of his daughter, Katherine Hartley Short, has affected his family.

For those unaware, Katherine Hartley Short died by suicide in February 2026 at her residence in Hollywood Hills, and the news of her tragic death was confirmed on March 10, 2026. Katherine had severe mental health issues for a long time, such as borderline personality disorder.

On Sunday, May 10, Martin appeared on CBS Sunday Morning, where he talked about his late daughter’s struggles with mental health, mentioning that she “did the best she could until she couldn’t” as it is as bad as cancer.

The two-time Emmy winner said, “It’s been a nightmare for the family. 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 could until she couldn’t,” he noted.

Calling to mind his late wife Nancy Dolman’s last words she spoke to him, he shared, “So, Nan’s last words to me were, ‘Martin, let me go.’ And what [Katherine] was just saying [was], ‘Dad, let me go.'”

It is pertinent to mention that the Only Murders in the Building star’s wife succumbed to ovarian cancer at the age of 58 on August 21, 2010. The

Martin Short and Nancy Dolman tied the knot in 1980, welcomed three children, Katherine, Oliver and Henry, and remained married for 30 years until her death.