Fiona Hepler Lowe, the 13-year-old daughter of actor, director and producer Chad Lowe and producer Kim Painter, has died, her family announced in a statement on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. No cause of death was given.
“We are deeply heartbroken by the loss of our beloved Fiona. She was a loving young girl who was smart, creative and loved to dance,” the family said.
“She was adored by her sisters and she was deeply loved by her parents,” the statement continued. “In fact, she was the light of our lives. Her passing is devastating for our entire family and we ask for prayers and privacy at this time.”
The statement concluded, “If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.”
Grandfather Chuck Lowe Pays Tribute
Fiona’s grandfather, Charles “Chuck” Lowe, the father of Chad Lowe and actor Rob Lowe, remembered her in an Instagram tribute Sept. 30, a day after the family announced her death. “Rest in peace sweet Fiona,” he wrote, alongside a photo of Fiona smiling in a swimming pool.
Parents at the school Fiona attended received an email from the principal on the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 29, informing them that one of the school’s students had died. The message did not identify the student, and it told families that counseling would be made available to classmates and staff members who needed it.
Remembered in a Birthday Post
Lowe, 58, marked Fiona’s 13th birthday in an Instagram post in November 2025, pairing his message with a picture of her grinning in cowboy boots. “Keep dancing through life FiBear!” he wrote.
Lowe and Painter, 52, have been married since August 2010, and Fiona was born Nov. 16, 2012. The couple’s other daughters are Mabel Painter Lowe, 17, and Nixie Barbara Lowe, 10. All five appeared together at the premiere event for “Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur” at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif., on Feb. 4, 2023, and Lowe posted a family photo in May 2026 to wish Painter a happy Mother’s Day.
The younger brother of Rob Lowe, Chad Lowe won an Emmy Award for his supporting role in “Life Goes On” as a young man living with HIV, and he went on to act in “Melrose Place” and “Pretty Little Liars.” He was previously married to actress Hilary Swank; the two split in January 2006 after eight years of marriage.
A Home Lost in the Palisades Fire
The family of five was among those who lost a home when the Palisades fire swept through the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. In February 2025, Lowe shared photographs of his three daughters visiting what was left of the house where they grew up, including one image of the sisters standing with their arms around one another.
In the caption, he praised the way the girls had coped with the loss, said he was in awe of their spirit and resilience, and described guiding them through the aftermath as his sole purpose. Being their father, he added, was the greatest joy and privilege of his life.
Lowe spoke about raising daughters during an August 2024 appearance on the “Still Here Hollywood” podcast, saying that having three of them had moved his understanding of gender inequality and the glass ceiling from something he grasped intellectually to something he felt, and that he had come to see the world from their point of view.
Anyone in the U.S. struggling with suicidal thoughts can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at any hour of the day or night by calling or texting 988, or by chatting online. The Crisis Text Line also offers free, confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to people in crisis who text 741741.