Pete Davidson is usually the guy making us laugh on Saturday Night Live or popping up in the tabloids because of who he’s dating. But behind the tattoos and the self-deprecating stand-up is a story that’s actually pretty heavy. Most people know his father was a firefighter who died during the September 11 attacks, but the specific details of what happened to Pete Davidson dad 9 11—Scott Matthew Davidson—are often glossed over in favor of the celebrity gossip.
Scott wasn't just a name on a memorial wall. He was a 33-year-old father of two, a basketball lover, and a guy who worked as a substitute teacher when he wasn't at the firehouse. On that Tuesday morning in 2001, he was on duty with Ladder 118 in Brooklyn Heights.
The story of his final moments is both heroic and incredibly grim.
The Last Run of Ladder 118
When the first plane hit the North Tower at 8:46 a.m., the guys at Ladder 118 saw it. They didn't wait for a formal call. By the time the second plane struck the South Tower at 9:03 a.m., they were already racing across the Brooklyn Bridge.
There’s a famous photo you might have seen. It’s a shot of a fire truck speeding toward the smoke-filled Manhattan skyline. That truck was Ladder 118. Scott Davidson was inside it.
Every single man on that truck died that day.
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Once they arrived, Scott and his crew were dispatched to the Marriott World Trade Center. This was a hotel wedged right between the Twin Towers. It was a chaotic, terrifying spot to be. Their job was to get people out of the hotel before the whole thing came down. Reports from that morning say Scott and his team helped evacuate about 200 people from the Marriott.
He was last seen running up the stairs of the hotel. He was going back in for more people. Then, at 10:28 a.m., the North Tower collapsed. It fell directly onto the Marriott, crushing it instantly. Scott was buried under 1.8 million tons of debris.
Growing Up Without a Hero
Pete was only seven years old when it happened. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine what that does to a kid’s head. One day your dad says he’s going to pick you up from school, and the next day, he’s just... gone. Pete has talked about how his mom, Amy, tried to shield him for a few days, but eventually, he saw his dad’s face on the news among the list of the missing.
The trauma was intense. Pete has been very open about the fact that he struggled. He ripped his hair out until he was bald. He dealt with severe PTSD and later, Borderline Personality Disorder.
"I tell my friends that if my childhood had been fine, I'd probably be a construction worker in Staten Island and be the happiest guy ever. But that weird s--- that it does to you, made me love comedy." — Pete Davidson on Hart to Heart (2022).
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Comedy became his defense mechanism. If you can joke about the worst thing that ever happened to you, then nothing else can really hurt you, right? That’s basically been his vibe for years.
The King of Staten Island and Real Life
If you want to see how much Pete Davidson dad 9 11 legacy still weighs on him, you have to watch The King of Staten Island. It’s a semi-autobiographical movie he did with Judd Apatow. In the film, Pete’s character is literally named Scott, and he’s a slacker trying to deal with the death of his firefighter father.
There are some key differences, though:
- In the movie, the dad dies in a generic hotel fire, not 9/11. Pete said they did that to keep the story more personal and less about the national tragedy.
- Many of the background actors in the firehouse scenes were actual FDNY firefighters who knew Scott Davidson in real life.
- The song "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers plays a big role in the movie—that was actually Pete and his dad’s favorite song.
Pete has said that making that movie was his way of finally saying goodbye and processing the grief that he’d been carrying since he was seven. It wasn't just a career move; it was therapy.
How He Keeps the Memory Alive
Even though he’s been getting a lot of his tattoos removed lately for movie roles, the ones for his dad are usually the last to go—or they stay put. He has "8418" inked on his arm, which was Scott’s badge number. He also has a kneeling firefighter on his bicep.
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In 2025, Pete took it a step further. He welcomed his first child, a daughter, and named her Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson. It’s a pretty clear nod to the man he lost over two decades ago.
It’s weirdly beautiful how he’s turned such a public tragedy into a personal legacy. He doesn't want people to feel bad for him, but he doesn't want them to forget Scott, either. Scott Davidson was a hero who died saving 200 people he didn't know. That's a lot for a son to live up to, but Pete seems to be doing it in his own weird, funny, Staten Island way.
Understanding the Legacy
If you’re looking to understand more about the impact of 9/11 on families like the Davidsons, or if you want to support the people who helped them, here are a few things you can actually do:
- Support First Responder Families: Pete has frequently supported Answer The Call, a foundation that provides financial assistance to the families of NYC police and firefighters killed in the line of duty.
- Visit the Memorial: If you’re ever in New York, Scott Matthew Davidson’s name is on Panel S-5 of the National September 11 Memorial’s South Pool. Seeing it in person hits different.
- Watch the Documentary Footage: Look up "The Last Run of Ladder 118." There are several archives and articles detailing the specific bravery of that crew on the morning of the 11th.
Scott’s story isn't just a footnote in a celebrity biography. It's a reminder of what happened when the world changed on a random Tuesday morning.