Pete Davidson reflects on losing his firefighter father on 9/11 and says he is unsure how he will explain the tragedy to his young daughter.
Pete Davidson is reflecting on his father’s death during the September 11 terrorist attacks and how becoming a father himself has changed the way he understands that childhood loss.
The comedian and actor was only 7 years old when his father, New York City firefighter Scott Davidson, died while responding to the World Trade Center attacks. Now, as a father himself, Davidson says he is unsure how he will eventually explain the tragedy to his daughter.
Pete Davidson’s Father Died on 9/11
Scott Davidson was a firefighter with Ladder 118 in Brooklyn Heights. On September 11, 2001, he and fellow firefighters responded to the World Trade Center after the attacks began.
Scott was 33 when he was killed. His son Pete was just 7 years old, while Pete’s younger sister, Casey, was 3.
The loss became one of the defining experiences of Davidson’s childhood and later influenced his comedy and creative work.
Becoming a Father Changed Davidson’s Perspective
Davidson has previously spoken about how losing his father affected him throughout his life.
But becoming a parent has given him a different perspective on what his own father may have experienced.
Davidson has acknowledged that having a child makes him think differently about his father’s death and the family he left behind.
That perspective has also created a difficult question: How does he eventually explain to his daughter that her grandfather died while responding to one of the darkest days in American history?
Davidson Is Unsure How to Explain 9/11
Davidson has indicated that he does not yet know exactly how he will tell his daughter about Scott’s death.
The challenge is not simply explaining the historical events of September 11. Davidson must also explain why her grandfather went into danger and never returned home.
For someone who experienced the loss as a young child, revisiting the tragedy through the eyes of his own daughter brings a deeply personal dimension to the anniversary.
His Father’s Legacy Shaped Davidson’s Career
Scott Davidson’s death has been woven into Pete’s career for years.
In 2020, Davidson drew heavily from his childhood experiences for the semi-autobiographical movie The King of Staten Island. The film follows a young man struggling with the consequences of losing his firefighter father at a young age.
Davidson previously explained that making the film gave him an opportunity to confront his past and explore how tragedy affected his family.
The movie allowed him to turn a painful personal experience into a story that connected with audiences who had experienced grief and loss.
Pete’s Sister Also Honors Their Father
Davidson’s younger sister, Casey, has also continued to publicly remember their father.
On the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, she has shared tributes honoring Scott and reflecting on the family’s enduring loss.
Casey previously wrote that she wished their father could still be there and emphasized that the family continues to remember and celebrate him.
The siblings have therefore carried their father’s memory with them as they have grown older.
9/11 Remains Personal for Davidson
For Davidson, September 11 is not simply a historical anniversary.
It is the day he lost his father and the event that shaped much of his childhood.
Scott’s death also became part of Davidson’s public identity, but the comedian has repeatedly used humor and storytelling to process the tragedy rather than allowing it to define his entire life.
His father’s story remains a central part of his journey from a grieving child to a successful comedian, actor and now father.
A New Generation Will Hear the Story
As Davidson’s daughter grows older, he will eventually have to decide how and when to tell her about the grandfather she never had the chance to know.
That conversation could be difficult, but it also gives Davidson an opportunity to preserve Scott’s memory for another generation.
Twenty-five years after September 11, the legacy of those killed continues through their families. For Davidson, that legacy now includes a daughter who will one day learn about the firefighter who died before she was born — and the father who has carried his memory ever since.
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