Martin Short spoke through the pain of losing his daughter Katherine as he helped turn her memory into a way of supporting others facing mental health struggles.
Martin, 76, joined his “Only Murders in the Building” costar Selena Gomez at the fourth annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 14, where he reflected on the grief his family has carried since Katherine died in February at 42.
E! News reported on Thursday, October 15, that the evening also introduced the Katherine Short Legacy Award, created in honor of his daughter and her commitment to helping others.
Martin Short Speaks About Losing His Daughter
Martin compared the mental health struggles Katherine endured with the cancer that claimed the life of his wife, Nancy Dolman, in 2010.
“Sometimes diseases are terminal,” he told the audience. “Katherine fought for so long with extreme mental health issues: Borderline Personality Disorder and other things. She did the best she could until she couldn’t.”
TMZ was the first to break the news that Katherine died by suicide on Tuesday, February 24. The Short family said in a February 24 statement to E! News that they were “devastated by this loss” and asked for privacy at this time.
Martin has previously spoken about the loss publicly, but Wednesday’s remarks came in a setting devoted specifically to reducing stigma and expanding access to mental health resources for young people.
Katherine Short’s Memory Honored at Rare Impact Benefit
Selena, 34, introduced the inaugural Katherine Short Legacy Award at the Hollywood Palladium.
The award will recognize people making a meaningful difference in their communities through mental health work. Katherine had built her own career as a licensed clinical social worker.
Vogue reported that Martin and Selena presented the first award to La Familia Counseling Center.
Martin praised his costar for making conversations about mental illness less isolating.
He said efforts such as the Rare Impact Fund can “help people understand that mental health is simply an illness, not to be hidden in the shadows or perceived as a family embarrassment.”
(Also read: Martin Short Reveals the Adorable Meet-Cute Behind His Love Story With Nancy Dolman— ‘That Was It. That Was It.’)
Martin Short Says His Grief Will Remain With Him
The comedian became particularly personal when describing how he now lives with the loss.
“Loss will be devastating to my soul as long as I’ll live,” Martin said.
He then recalled words attributed to the late Dolly Parton. “The great Dolly Parton once said, ‘Grief is love with no place to go.’ My pain about losing my daughter will always be present in my heart, and I think that’s simply because what we deeply love, we can never lose.”
The comments echoed what Martin said earlier this year when discussing both Katherine and Dolman’s deaths.
The beloved comedian sat down with “CBS Sunday Morning” to reflect on Katherine’s death in a deeply personal interview.
He recalled his wife’s final words before her death and said he eventually came to understand his daughter’s struggle in similarly painful terms.
(Also read: Beloved Martin Short’s History of Personal Loss Resurfaces After Daughter’s Tragic Passing)
Martin Short Has Long Refused to Hide From Grief
Katherine was the eldest of Martin and Dolman’s three children. The couple also had two sons, Oliver and Henry.
She graduated from New York University before earning a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California.
Martin has written openly about loss before. In his memoir, “I Must Say: My Life As a Humble Comedy Legend,” he explained why keeping loved ones present in conversation mattered to him.
E! Online reported that “I can’t stand when the dead are talked about in hushed tones,” he wrote, “or banished from our thoughts.”
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to reach the toll-free Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (dial 888-628-9454 for assistance in Spanish). You can also speak with a trained crisis counselor anytime by texting HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.
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Martin Short Shares Heartbreaking Truth About Grief Nearly 8 Months After Daughter Katherine’s Passing