Chad Lowe and Kim Painter announce death of daughter Fiona, 13

A family statement can sometimes say more by saying less. In this case, Chad Lowe and Kim Painter have announced the death of their 13-year-old daughter Fiona, and the message is exactly as bleak as that sentence sounds: they are deeply heartbroken.

The family described Fiona in a statement to Page Six and People as a loving young girl who was smart, creative and loved to dance. They said she was adored by her sisters and deeply loved by her parents, adding that she was the light of their lives. That is the kind of language families use when there is nothing left to explain and nothing to soften.

The statement said Fiona’s passing is devastating for the entire family and asked for prayers and privacy at this time. It also included a reference to mental health support, urging anyone struggling, or anyone who knows someone who is, to contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

Lowe’s name will be familiar to television viewers. He won an Emmy Award in 1993 for Life Goes On and has also appeared in Pretty Little Liars and Supergirl. He is the brother of fellow actor Rob Lowe, and he and Painter are also parents to daughters Mabel, 17, and Nixie, 10.

There is a reason celebrity families often issue carefully worded statements in moments like this: grief does not become easier because it is public. The facts here are spare, and they ought to stay that way. A child has died, a family is grieving, and it has asked for privacy while naming a crisis line for anyone who may need it.

Written by Christiane Hofreiter christiane.hofreiter@alpineweekly.com