Martin Short's Late Daughter's Tribute To Her Service Dog Amid Hidden Mental Illness

New details about Martin Short's daughter, Katherine Short, continue to emerge days after her tragic passing.

The "Only Murders in the Building" star lost the oldest of his three children on February 23, 2026. Katherine apparently died by suicide at the age of 42.

Martin Short adopted three children, Katherine, Oliver, and Henry, during his marriage to Canadian comic actress Nancy Dolman. The latter died of ovarian cancer on August 21, 2010.

According to new reports, Martin's late daughter used to run a now-deleted professional website. She had a biography tab dedicated to her service dog, Joni, whom she named after singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell.

Page Six covered the tribute Katherine penned before the website was shut down, revealing that it detailed her hidden mental health battle. "Joni is my incredible service dog, who has been assisting me with my own struggles with mental illness for the past 5 years," she wrote about the dog.

The outlet shared a picture of the service dog from the deleted website, showcasing a medium-sized mixed-breed with a white coat and large dark patches. Katherine had raved about how Joni was "an absolute sweetheart" who loved people and would sometimes accompany her to her office.

Another section of Katherine's website was dedicated to her achievements in the service industry. She had an impressive career as a clinical social worker and ran a private practice where she specialized in anxiety, psychotic disorders, and borderline personality disorder.

Katherine's hidden mental health battles appeared to have motivated her interest in helping others, as she was also associated with the charity Bring Change 2 Mind. The latter's primary mission is to erase the stigma surrounding mental health.

Martin's daughter graduated from New York University in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Gender Sexuality Studies. She also earned a master's degree in social work from the University of Southern California and worked in several psychiatric hospitals and outpatient programs.

More details about Katherine's hidden mental health battle came via her friend, Rande Levine. The Blast recently reported that the latter revealed that Katherine had been secretly struggling while helping others in similar situations.

Levine recalled that there were moments in the 2010s when Katherine would step away from her work to seek inpatient treatment. She noted that Katherine would announce that she needed to leave before checking into some place to boost her spirits.

The grieving pal claimed those closest to Katherine were aware of her mental health struggles, while the rest of the world was used to Katherine's upbeat and funny personality. "You would never know based on how she presented herself," Levine said.

As stated, Martin lost his daughter on February 23, with LAPD sources sharing more details about the tragic incident with NBC4 Investigates. They reportedly got a call from one of Katherine's friends, who requested a welfare check.

The friend called authorities out of concern for Katherine after failing to hear from her in over 24 hours. The sources noted that officers responded to Katherine's Hollywood Hills home and found a note on the door; however, the details were not shared.

The sources confirmed that responding officers had discovered that Katherine died by suicide in her home. Her father's representative shared the family's reaction in a statement, claiming the Shorts were "devastated" by the loss and pleaded with the public for privacy.

Days after Katherine's death, The Blast reported that her father had decided to postpone two of his upcoming comedy shows. The events were a part of Martin and his longtime collaborator, Steve Martin's, comedy tour.

The comedic duo was scheduled to perform at the Pabst Theater Group in Milwaukee on February 27 and at the Fabulous Fox Theater in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 10. Both theaters announced that the shows have been postponed "due to unforeseen circumstances."

The shows scheduled for March, April, and September have not been officially postponed. Although the notices did not mention Katherine's name, her tragic passing appeared to be the reason for the postponements.

Rest in peace, Katherine Short.