Pete Davidson Reflects on 9/11 as He Becomes a Father

Pete Davidson Reflects on 9/11 and His Daughter

Pete Davidson is approaching the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks while facing the milestone from a new perspective: as a father.

The comedian and former Saturday Night Live cast member lost his father, FDNY firefighter Scott Matthew Davidson, during the attacks in 2001. Davidson was seven years old at the time.

Now, having reached the age his father was when he died, Davidson says becoming a parent has changed the way he understands that loss.

KEY POINT

Pete Davidson is marking his first September 11 anniversary as a father.

His daughter, Scottie Rose, was named partly in memory of his late father.

Davidson has not yet decided how he will explain her grandfather’s death to her.

Scott Davidson was a firefighter with Ladder Company 118 in Brooklyn Heights and was 33 when he was killed at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

For Davidson, the anniversary now carries an additional personal dimension. He told The Post that being the same age his father was at the time of his death, while also having a child of his own, has made the loss feel different.

The comedian said the anniversary would be particularly difficult but also meaningful because he can now experience the day with his daughter.

His Daughter Carries a Family Connection

Davidson and model Elsie Hewitt welcomed their daughter, Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson, in December. Although the couple later separated, Davidson said they shared the decision to give their daughter a name connected to his father.

Scott was also his father’s nickname, making the choice a direct link between the next generation and the family member Davidson lost as a child.

Davidson recalled another connection inside his daughter’s early life: a photograph of his father hangs above the sink where she was bathed. He said his daughter would often turn toward the photograph.

Davidson Has Not Decided How to Tell Her

Fatherhood has also raised a difficult question Davidson knows he will eventually have to face.

He has not yet worked out how he will explain to his daughter that her grandfather died in the September 11 attacks. For now, he believes there is still time before she is old enough to understand what happened.

When that time comes, Davidson said he expects to introduce her to her grandfather through photographs, videos and stories. He also described his father’s memory as something that continues to feel present in his life.

How Davidson Honors His Father’s Memory

Davidson’s connection to the September 11 anniversary also extends beyond his family. He continues to participate in charitable efforts supporting first responders affected by the attacks and their families.

One longstanding effort is a comedy benefit with Jon Stewart at Madison Square Garden. Davidson said the firefighters, police officers and paramedics who attend are especially meaningful to him because many were friends and colleagues of his father.

He and Stewart have also previously visited firehouses and the Port Authority as part of their efforts to mark the anniversary and recognize the first responder community.

Davidson’s reflections show how the meaning of a personal loss can change across different stages of life. The upcoming anniversary is not only about remembering the father he lost, but also about considering how that family history will eventually be passed to his daughter.

For Davidson, that connection is already being preserved through her name, family photographs and the stories he plans to share when she is old enough to understand them.