Martin Short is skipping the 2026 Actor Awards, a week after his daughter’s death

Rande Levine — founder of Karma Rescue, a dog charity on whose board Katherine previously served — also reflected on her struggles, especially when she went to rehab.

“I knew she was struggling with this. She would talk about it,” he explained. “But you would never know it based on how she presented herself and how funny she was.”

“She was always smiling, she was always a pleasure to be around,” Levine added. “Any experience or connection I had with Katherine was always positive. She was so gentle. She was calm, she laughed a lot.”

Katherine was also open about her problems, writing about her dog Joni on her now-deleted website.

“Joni is my incredible service dog, who has helped me with my own struggles with mental illness over the past five years,” she said. “Joni will often be in my office cuddled up on her bed. She’s an absolute sweetheart and just loves people, so don’t be surprised if she greets you with a smile, a wagging tail… and maybe even a kiss.”