Chad Lowe, Kim Painter Confirm Death of 13-Year-Old Daughter Fiona Hepler Lowe

Q: Why did Chad Lowe’s family pair their heartbreaking announcement about 13-year-old Fiona with a public plea for mental health crisis support?

They likely did so to turn a private tragedy into a public warning and a source of help for others, while stopping short of publicly discussing Fiona’s cause of death. In their statement, Chad Lowe and Kim Painter did not disclose how Fiona died. But they explicitly urged anyone “struggling with mental health” to contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. That pairing strongly suggests the family wanted to use the announcement to direct vulnerable people toward immediate support, especially because mental-health crisis language and the 988 reference are commonly included when a death may raise concerns about suicide, self-harm or severe emotional distress. At the same time, the wording allowed them to preserve privacy. By asking for prayers and privacy while pointing people to 988, the family could acknowledge the broader issue of mental-health crisis without confirming details they were not ready to share publicly. Multiple reports note that no official cause of death has been released. The appeal also reflects a wider public-health practice. Media outlets and families increasingly include 988 information in statements about sudden deaths involving young people to reduce stigma, encourage intervention and offer a clear resource to anyone affected by the news. In that sense, the plea was both protective and purposeful: a sign of concern for others who may be struggling, even amid the family’s own grief.

Q: After losing their home in the Pacific Palisades fire, how is Chad Lowe’s family facing an even more devastating loss?

Chad Lowe’s family is facing the death of his 13-year-old daughter, Fiona Harper Lowe, a loss they described as even more devastating than the destruction of their Pacific Palisades home. Lowe and his wife, producer Kim Painter, said in a statement that they are “deeply heartbroken” and remembered Fiona as “a loving young girl” who was “smart, creative, and loved to dance.” They called her “the light of our lives” and asked for prayers and privacy as they grieve. Fiona was the couple’s middle child and was nearing her 14th birthday. She is survived by her sisters, Mabel, 17, and Nixie, 10. The family did not publicly disclose a cause of death. The tragedy comes after the family had already endured the loss of their home in the Palisades fire. Earlier this year, Lowe had spoken publicly about his daughters’ resilience after they returned to see the remains of the house where they grew up. Now, the family is mourning the loss of one of those daughters. In their public statement, Lowe and Painter also urged anyone struggling with mental health to seek help, including through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Oct 1

A statement shared with PEOPLE on Sept. 29 said Fiona Hepler Lowe, the middle daughter of Chad Lowe and Kim Painter, has died at 13.
The family described Fiona as “a loving young girl” who was smart, creative and loved to dance, adding that she “was the light of our lives.”
The statement also included information for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and asked for prayers and privacy.
Fiona’s death follows a difficult period for the family: Lowe had celebrated her becoming a teenager earlier in 2025, and their home was later destroyed in the Pacific Palisades Fire.