Chad Lowe’s teenage daughter dies, as family still recovering from Palisades Fire

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.

On Tuesday, actor and director Chad Lowe, the younger brother of film and TV star Rob Lowe, revealed that his 13-year-old daughter, Fiona Hepler Lowe, had died. 

In a statement issued by Lowe and his wife Kim Painter to People magazine, the couple  described Fiona as “the light of our eyes,” and “a loving young girl who was smart, creative and loved to dance.” The statement also said Fiona “was adored by her sisters and deeply loved by her parents.”

In further explaining their devastation, the couple urged people to reach out to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline if they, or anyone they know, are struggling with their mental health. They said people can call or text 988.

This tragedy struck Lowe, his wife and Fiona’s sisters, Mabel, 17, and Nixie, 10, as they appeared to still be recovering from the catastrophe that Lowe said turned their lives “upside down.” In early January 2025, they suffered the traumatic loss of their family home in the Palisades Fire. Just weeks before, the family had celebrated Christmas in their home.

The fire broke out in the Santa Monica Mountains on Jan. 7, 2025, spread throughout large areas of Pacific Palisades and Malibu, forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate and destroyed more than 6,800 structures.

Lowe and his family, including three cats and two fish, were among those who had to evacuate. Several days later, Lowe posted a photo of the charred ruins of the house where his family spent 10 years “building our lives.”

“Our hearts our broken,” Lowe said on Jan. 11, 2025. But he said, “We are ok and will be ok. We have each other. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.”

The following month, Lowe posted photos of Fiona, Mabel and Nixie returning to the home they lost. The photos showed them standing on a brick walkway, looking at debris and a remaining chimney. One photo showed them all embracing one another, with Lowe writing, “Almost a month after we evacuated our girls finally got to go back to see what’s left of their home.”

“The way they’ve handled this whole devastating experience is nothing short of remarkable,” Lowe continued. “I am in awe of their spirit and resilience. Helping them navigate these tough times is my sole purpose. Being their dad is my life’s greatest joy and privilege.”

Over the next few months, Lowe shared occasional updates about the property, including a video showing an excavator removing the debris. “A painful, but important step toward moving forward,” Lowe wrote. “It’s hard to describe the feeling of watching our home reduced to ash, melted and twisted scraps of metal. Then, unceremoniously, removed to reveal an empty lot of dirt. But, life moves on … it must.”

In subsequent months, Lowe posted photos of the family spending autumn in Tennessee, where Lowe was working. He is the executive producer of “9-1-1: Nashville,” the latest spin-off of the “9-1-1” procedural drama series. Lowe previously starred in “9-1-1: Lone Star” with his brother, Rob Lowe.

Last November, Lowe shared a photo of Fiona to mark her 13th birthday. “Celebrating Fiona officially becoming a teen today!! Keep dancing through life FiBear! Love you soooo much!!”

Earlier this year, a year after the family lost their home in the fire, Lowe remembered that difficult anniversary with a post that acknowledged that their lives “got turned upside down.” He said, “It’s hard not to let the anger, despair, and frustration overwhelm. Losing everything I ever owned and the home we raised our family in is still deeply painful to this day.”

But Lowe also said: “This terrible experience has been a powerful reminder of this simple truth — we can’t always control what happens to us in this life but we can control how we respond. And I have been so incredibly proud of how my wife Kim and our daughters have strived to make the absolute best of this extraordinarily difficult circumstance.”

More recently, Lowe celebrated 23 years of sobriety, as well as his and his wife’s 16th anniversary. As in many of his posts, Lowe expressed gratitude to people “who’ve helped along the way.”

In one of those posts about the fire, Lowe said his family had been “buoyed by the outpouring of support, assistance, and well wishes from so many people in our lives. The way people have responded has given us great comfort, hope and strength to rebuild our lives. Thank you one and all!”