Martin Short’s Daughter Secretly Changed Her Name Before Tragic Death at 42

A quiet legal filing more than a decade ago is now taking on heartbreaking new meaning.

Martin Short’s daughter didn’t just change her life — she changed her name.

Years before her tragic suicide at 42, Katherine Short made a deeply personal decision to legally drop the famous last name that had followed her since childhood. In 2012, she became Katherine Hartley, distancing herself from the spotlight that defined her father’s legendary Hollywood career.

At the time, she made her reasoning clear.

“My father is a public figure. I am a psychiatric social worker,” she said. “I am concerned about potential harassment from future patients resulting from my association with my father.”

It was a stunning move. While Martin Short was selling out theaters and lighting up red carpets, his daughter was quietly building a life dedicated to helping others navigate mental health struggles — the very battles she would fight herself.

Friends say she was determined to step out of the shadow of fame and forge an identity rooted in service, not celebrity. She attended New York University on the East Coast, far from Los Angeles. Later, she returned to Southern California, settling into a Hollywood Hills home just 30 minutes from her family.

But behind closed doors, Katherine was facing a years-long war with her own mental health.

Those close to her say she frequently checked herself into inpatient treatment facilities during severe low points. She was candid with friends about her struggles — even as she maintained a calm, smiling exterior.

“She was such a wonderful, giving, loving human being,” said Rande Levine, founder of the dog charity Karma Rescue, where Katherine served on the board. “It’s just so devastating to find out she took her own life.”

Levine said Katherine poured her soul into helping others who were suffering.

“I knew she was battling with that stuff,” he said. “But you would never know based on how she presented herself. She was always smiling. Always funny.”

A neighbor described her as private and said she appeared to have been struggling with health issues in recent months.

“She must have been in so much anguish,” the neighbor said. “It’s just so sad.”

Authorities confirmed Katherine was found at her Hollywood Hills home. Her death was ruled a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The loss has rocked the Short family.

“It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short,” the family said in a statement. “The Short family is devastated by this loss and asks for privacy at this time. Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.”

Katherine was one of three adopted children of Martin Short and his late wife of 30 years, Nancy Dolman, who died in 2010 following a battle with ovarian cancer.

In the end, the name change wasn’t about rejection. It was about protection — shielding her patients, building her own path, and escaping the pressures that can come with being the child of a comedy icon.

But the pain she carried remained.

Now, friends are left remembering a woman who dedicated her life to lifting others up — even as she struggled to lift herself.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. In the United States, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support 24/7.