Martin Short gives emotional speech about daughter Katherine amid 'difficult year'... eight months after she tragically took her own life at 42

Martin Short gave an emotional speech about his late daughter Katherine during Selena Gomez's Rare Impact Fund Gala on Wednesday.

The 76-year-old actor took the stage at the benefit for the presentation of the inaugural Katherine Short Legacy Award in memory of his eldest child, who had been a social worker who helped 'people through some of their hardest points.'

Gomez explained that the award 'will carry her name forward by honoring people who have made that same kind of commitment to their communities.'

Katherine died by suicide at the age of 42 on February 23, 2026 at her Hollywood Hills home.

Short candidly admitted to the gala attendees that it 'has been a very difficult year for me, needless to say,' according to an Instagram video shared by @elizabethdenton. 

He added that Katherine's sudden death 'has been the heartbreak of our family, as you can imagine.' 

'But we have also understood in the last eight months - I think my whole family has understood - that mental health and cancer, which took my wife, for example, are both diseases.'

'They are diseases, and sometimes diseases are terminal,' Short continued. 

The actor married Nancy Dolman in 1980, and they adopted three children: Katherine, Oliver, 40, and Henry, 37. 

Dolman passed away at the age of 58 in August 2010 following a battle with ovarian cancer. 

Short gave credit to Gomez's benefit for raising funds and awareness 'to help people understand that mental health is simply an illness.

'Not to be hidden in the shadows or perceived as a family embarrassment.'

Short said that his daughter's death 'will be devastating to my soul as long as I'll live' and the '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, for all that we love deeply becomes part of us.'

The actor then remembered his daughter's work as well as her compassion for others. 

'Katherine devoted herself to her profession as a clinical social worker, promoting open, compassionate conversations about mental health, and her commitment extended beyond her profession and well into the community.'

He added: 'So what an honor it is for me to be [here] helping present this award, which honors those creating lasting impact through their commitment to mental health and well-being.'

As Short spoke, an image of Katherine could be seen displayed on a large screen behind him. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to reps of Short for comment but has yet to hear back. 

The Only Murders In The Building star previously publicly addressed Katherine's passing during an interview with CBS Sunday Mornings in May. 

He made comparisons between his daughter's mental health battle and late wife Nancy's own battle with ovarian cancer.

'The understanding [is] that mental health and cancer, like my wife's, are both diseases, and sometimes with diseases they are terminal,' the actor said.

'My daughter fought for a long time with extreme mental health, borderline personality disorder, other things, and did the best she could until she couldn't.'

The actor publicly addressed Katherine's passing during an interview with CBS Sunday Mornings in May. 

He made comparisons between his daughter's mental health battle and late wife's own battle with ovarian cancer.

'The understanding [is] that mental health and cancer, like my wife's, are both diseases, and sometimes with diseases they are terminal,' the actor said.

'My daughter fought for a long time with extreme mental health, borderline personality disorder, other things, and did the best she could until she couldn't.'

Short added that he wanted to bring understanding to mental health alongside an emotional message.

'Not being ashamed of it, not hiding from the word suicide, but accepting that this can be the last stage of an illness - and that's my approach to this,' he stated.

Short later got candid about how he approaches grief after facing other personal tragedies in the past.

His brother died in a car accident when he was 12 years old. When he was a teen, he also lost both of his parents.

'What it developed in me was this muscle of survival and handling grief and a perspective on it.'

The actor continued: 'We have to celebrate... Just to think of them, they've just gone into the next room for a while.' 

If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org.