Martin Short Reveals Wife Nancy Dolman’s Final Words to Him Before Her Death From Ovarian Cancer

Martin Short recently recalled a gut-wrenching moment in his life.

In an interview with The New York Times published on Friday, May 15, the acclaimed actor, 76, revealed that his wife Nancy Dolman‘s final words to him were “Martin, let me go,” while the paramedics rushed into her bedroom.

In 2010, Dolman passed away at 58 years old after battling ovarian cancer. The couple — who adopted three children together — tied the knot in 1980 and were married for 30 years before Dolman’s death.

Not long ago, the comedian faced grief again as his and Dolman’s daughter, Katherine, tragically died by suicide in February at the age of 42. The Tony Award winner explained that Katherine uttered similar words to him as Dolman did before her passing.

“Katherine was saying: Dad, let me go,” he told the outlet. “I don’t see any difference between mental illness as a disease and cancer as a disease. In some cases, both are terminal. And in some cases, both are survivable.”

In terms of healing, Short — who is rumored to be dating his Only Murders in the Building costar Meryl Streep — explained Katherine’s passing was different for him.

“This is your child,” he noted. “I am trying to head toward the light,”

Back in 2019, Short reflected on losing the love of his life in an AARP interview.

“Our marriage was a triumph. So it’s tough. She died in 2010, but I still communicate with her all the time. It’s ‘Hey, Nan,’ you know? How would she react to this decision or that, especially regarding our three kids,” he told the publication. “I believe that when people die, they zoom into the people that love them. This idea that it just ends, and don’t speak of them — that’s wrong. That’s based on denial that we’re all going to die. So to me, she’s still here.”

“At the same time, her death emboldened me to take risks,” he added. “With real tragedy, you become a little more daring. It’s the yin to the yang: the positive part of life’s dark side.”