Pete Davidson Becomes Dad, Honors Father Lost on 9/11

Pete Davidson just turned 33, the exact age his firefighter father was when he died responding to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Becoming a father himself has completely transformed how he understands what his dad left behind.

"I thought, 'Oh, he was an old guy. He's 33,'" Davidson told the New York Post. "But now I'm there, and I have a kid, and that would be like my kid not having her dad."

The comedian welcomed his daughter last December and named her Scottie after his father, Scott Davidson. His dad's fire crew was the first truck to reach the World Trade Center that day, and most of the house didn't make it home.

Davidson shares Scottie with ex-girlfriend Elsie Hewitt, who also loved the name choice. "When she arrived, we both looked at her and were like, 'She looks like a Scottie,'" he said. "It's nice to keep that name alive."

This year's anniversary feels different. Davidson is participating in a comedy benefit at Madison Square Garden with Jon Stewart, choosing to reclaim the day through laughter and community rather than sadness.

"So, this year is extra tough, but also extra beautiful because I get to spend the day with Scottie," he explained. "It'll be very healing and special."

Davidson was only seven when his father died. His memories are simple but warm: his dad laughing constantly, always smiling, friends lighting up when they talk about him. His mom kept the truth from him for three days, telling him his dad was at work until she could find the right words.

"When I get older, I'm like, 'Man, my mom was awesome,'" Davidson reflected. His mother was just 30 at the time and handled an impossible situation with love.

Why This Inspires

Davidson's journey shows how grief transforms over time. What once felt like distant tragedy now carries the weight of understanding what was truly lost. By naming his daughter after his father and choosing comedy over sadness, he's creating new memories while honoring old ones.

His openness about processing trauma decades later reminds us that healing isn't linear. Sometimes it takes becoming the age our parents were to truly understand their sacrifice.

Davidson still isn't sure how he'll tell Scottie about her grandfather, but he has time. For now, he's focused on keeping his father's memory alive through laughter, love, and a little girl who carries his name into the future.