Martin Short’s daughter Katherine died on Monday in Los Angeles. She was 42 years old.
She died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, law enforcement sources told TMZ. Police responded to her home in the Hollywood Hills on Monday just after 6 p.m.
Martin Short’s representative said in a statement: “It is with deep sadness that we confirm the passing of Catherine Hartley Short.” “The Short family is devastated by this loss and asks for privacy at this time. Katherine was loved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought to the world.”
Katherine Short was the eldest of three children adopted by the “Bill Murder” star and his late wife Nancy Dolman. A social worker in Los Angeles, she worked with Bring Change 2 Mind, a charity that advocates for breaking down the stigma of mental health.
Katherine Short graduated from New York University in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and gender-sexuality studies, and then earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California. Before opening her own private practice, she worked at UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital, according to People magazine.
Catherine’s mother, the actress Ms Dolman, died of ovarian cancer in 2010, and Martin Short told the Guardian it had been “devastating”. “It’s been a tough two years for my kids. This is something we live in denial about in life. It will never happen to us or our loved ones. And when it does, you gain a little and you suffer a little. No big surprises.”
“It was obviously scary and more than anything sad. I’ll tell you what I said to my kids at the time: ‘I believe Mom zoomed into our souls,'” he added in another interview at the time.
Martin Short is also the father of sons Oliver and Henry. He was scheduled to play a show with Steve Martin in Minneapolis on Saturday.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
