Actor Martin Short honored his late daughter, Katherine, during Selena Gomez’s fourth annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit in Los Angeles on October 14, 2026, where the 76-year-old actor stated the pain of her February passing will always be present in his heart.
The Bottom Line
- Selena Gomez introduced the Katherine Short Legacy Award at the Hollywood Palladium event to honor Katherine Short, a clinical social worker who died by suicide in February at age 42.
- Martin Short took the stage to present the inaugural award and shared rare public remarks about his family’s grief over the past eight months.
- The actor compared the terminal nature of severe mental health struggles to cancer, noting that his late wife, Nancy Dolman, passed away from ovarian cancer in 2010.
The Rare Impact Fund Benefit Presentation
The fourth annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit, hosted by Selena Gomez at the Hollywood Palladium, centered on youth mental health advocacy and fundraising. During the gathering, Gomez unveiled a new honor titled the Katherine Short Legacy Award. Gomez explained the distinction was created in memory of Martin Short’s eldest daughter, who passed away by suicide earlier that year in February at the age of 42.
how great of selena to honor katherine in such a beautiful way 🥺 pic.twitter.com/8wTm6JFMNi
Gomez invited her Only Murders in the Building costar to the stage to help present the honor for the first time. Speaking to the assembled audience, Gomez described Katherine as a social worker who devoted her career to helping individuals through their most difficult moments. The newly established prize was designed to carry her name forward by recognizing community members who demonstrate a matching commitment to mental well-being.
Martin Short Opens Up About Family Grief and Mental Health
Taking the microphone at the Los Angeles venue, Martin Short addressed the devastating impact of the loss on his family. The actor stated that the past year has presented profound heartbreak, noting that his household has come to understand that mental health challenges and cancer share a terminal classification under certain circumstances. Short lost his wife, Nancy Dolman, to ovarian cancer at age 58 in 2010. Together, Short and Dolman adopted three children: Katherine, along with their sons Oliver, 40, and Henry, 37.
Reflecting on his daughter’s endurance, Short told the crowd that Katherine fought extreme mental health issues and borderline personality disorder for a long time, doing the best she could until she could no longer fight. He emphasized the importance of Gomez’s fundraising efforts in shifting public perception so that mental illness is viewed plainly as a medical condition rather than something to be hidden or treated as a family embarrassment. Citing Dolly Parton, the actor shared that grief is love with no place to go, adding that his pain will remain present because deep love becomes a permanent part of a person.
| Event Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event Name | Fourth Annual Rare Impact Fund Benefit |
| Host | Selena Gomez |
| Location | Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles |
| Date | October 14, 2026 |
| New Honor | The Katherine Short Legacy Award |
Community Legacy and Continuing Advocacy
Katherine Hartley Short worked as a clinical social worker who dedicated her profession to open, compassionate conversations surrounding mental health. Representatives for the family confirmed her passing in February earlier this year, with the manner of death noted as suicide.
During the October event, Martin Short noted that his daughter’s dedication extended well beyond her profession into the broader community. By helping present the legacy award, the actor underscored the ongoing need to support organizations and individuals creating lasting change in mental healthcare access and awareness.
