Kaitlin Olson, known for her role in High Potential, is grieving the loss of her father, Don Olson.
“Honestly, it feels a bit uncomfortable to share this on social media. It’s such a delicate and personal matter,” the 50-year-old actress expressed on Instagram on Monday, May 18. “But it feels even more wrong to just carry on with life as if the most devastating thing hasn’t occurred, as if everything meaningful hasn’t just come to a halt.”
In her heartfelt tribute, Olson described her father as “my first love, my first protector, and my forever favorite person.”
She further shared, “He fought with all his strength for so long to stay with us. Right now, words seem inadequate. None can truly capture who he was. The greatest blessing of my life was having him as my dad. Perhaps the second greatest was being with him as he passed.”
The entertainment world has been in mourning following the loss of some of its most iconic figures in 2026. The year began with the passing of Broadway star and influencer Bret Hanna-Shuford at 46. As January concluded, comedy legend Catherine O’Hara passed away at 71. February saw the loss of Camilla Carr from Designing Women at 83, along with other beloved figures.
As part of her post, Kaitlin shared several family members captured in throwback photos. One shot was a photo of the actress holding her dad’s hand.
“I love you, daddy,” she concluded her post. “I will keep all my promises. Just like you.”
Soon after sharing her personal family news, Kaitlin received love and encouragement from friends and followers.
Kaitlin Olson and Don Olson Courtesy of Kaitlin Olson/Instagram
“My deepest condolences on the loss of your beloved father,” Abbott Elementary star Lisa Ann Walter shared in the comments section. Garret Dillahunt added, “Oh my dear. Nothing more sad or glorious than generations changing hands. Thank you for sharing your pop with us. What a daughter he raised. No words will suffice ❤️❤️.”
One powerful comment came from Kaitlin’s own husband, Rob McElhenney, who shared his fond memories of being Don’s son-in-law.
“Words are impossible. There is no one like him. My whole goal in life is to be half the man he was,” McElhenney, 49, shared in the comments section. “I’ve never seen a person love someone the way he loved you. I am so grateful that he lived and so proud that I got to be his son for the past 17 years ❤️ ❤️ ❤️.”
Kaitlin Olson’s husband, Rob McElhenney, can sometimes be her biggest critic, which is why she was “so nervous” for him to watch her new show, High Potential. “We are both very critical of entertainment and projects. I was very nervous to show it to him,” Olson, 49, told Us Weekly exclusively at the High Potential […]
According to the Portland Tribune, Don previously served as the publisher of the newspaper from 2000 to 2001.
When asked about his daughter’s career trajectory, Don praised Kaitlin for always having “passion.”
“At college, I suggested — a couple of times — that she pursue a second career,” he said in 2017. “Something to fall back on, but she remained singularly focused on her passion.”