Martin Short has opened up about the emotional final moments with his late wife, Nancy Dolman, and the painful connection he now sees to the recent loss of his daughter, Katherine.
Nancy died in 2010 at age 58 after a three-year battle with ovarian cancer. Katherine, 42, tragically died in February following a long struggle with mental illness. In a deeply personal interview with The New York Times, the 76-year-old actor reflected on the final words spoken by both women — moments that continue to stay with him.
Short revealed that before Nancy passed away, she quietly told him, “Martin, let me go.” The actor said he hears a heartbreaking parallel in what he believes his daughter would have wanted to say: “Dad, let me go.” He explained that he sees mental illness no differently than physical diseases such as cancer, noting that while some people recover, others do not survive their battles.
The Only Murders in the Building star admitted he is still trying to process Katherine’s death, describing the grief as especially devastating because “this is your child.” Still, he said he is doing his best to move forward and “head toward the light.”
Short met Nancy in 1972 during a production of Godspell. The pair married in 1980 and later adopted three children: Katherine, Oliver, and Henry. Following Katherine’s death, Short has spoken publicly about the importance of removing stigma around mental health and suicide, supporting efforts to encourage more open conversations.
Katherine, a licensed clinical social worker in Los Angeles, had reportedly changed her surname in 2013 to establish her own identity outside her father’s fame. After her passing, the family remembered her as someone deeply loved who brought “light and joy” to those around her.
