Martin Short Details Daughter Katherine's Heartbreaking Mental Health Battle Before Her Death

Content warning: This story discusses suicide.

Martin Short is reflecting on two great losses in his life.

Months after the Innerspace actor’s eldest child Katherine Short died by suicide at the age of 42, he shared the loss’ heartbreaking connection to the death of his wife Nancy Dolman, who died of ovarian cancer in 2010.

Recalling Nancy’s final words to him as, “Martin, let me go," in an interview with The New York Times published May 15, the Emmy winner shared how Katherine may have fought a different health battle than his wife of 30 years, but it was fatal all the same.

“Katherine was saying, ‘Dad, let me go,’” he told the outlet. “I don’t see any difference between mental illness as a disease and cancer as a disease. In some cases, both are terminal. And in some cases, both are survivable.”

However, Martin noted that losing his daughter has been different in terms of processing his grief.

"This is your child," he said. "I am trying to head toward the light."

Days earlier, Martin—who also lost his brother and parents before he turned 20—spoke out about Katherine’s death for the first time.