Martin Short opens up about losing his daughter Katherine as an award in her name debuts

Martin Short spoke candidly about mental health and the death of his daughter Katherine at a benefit hosted by Selena Gomez on Wednesday night. He told the room that his grief for her will be with him for the rest of his life.

An award in Katherine's name

The 2026 Rare Impact Fund Benefit raises money every year for Gomez's charity, the Rare Impact Fund. This year the event introduced the Katherine Short Legacy Award, named in her honor.

The "Only Murders in the Building" star presented the award himself and took a few minutes to talk about his daughter.

What this year taught him

Short said he has come to understand that mental illness is a disease in the same way cancer is. Like cancer, he said, it can sometimes end in death.

He lost his wife Nancy Dolman to cancer in 2010.

Short said Katherine fought her illness for as long as she possibly could before it finally took her life.

A painful year

Katherine died in February from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at her home in Los Angeles. She was 42.

Only about a month earlier Short had lost his close friend Catherine O'Hara, the actor who died after fighting cancer.

A few months after losing Katherine he sat down with "CBS News Sunday Morning" and described her death as a "nightmare for the family."

Anyone who is struggling or in crisis can reach help by calling or texting 988 or chatting at 988lifeline.org.