Pete Davidson is usually the guy making headlines for his dating life or his chaotic SNL sketches, but if you actually want to understand what makes him tick, you have to look at the people who raised him. Honestly, the story of pete davidson parents isn't just some background trivia; it is the literal foundation of his entire career, his dark sense of humor, and that specific Staten Island grit he carries around like a badge of honor.
His dad, Scott Matthew Davidson, was a firefighter. His mom, Amy Waters Davidson, was a school nurse. They were a normal, working-class family until September 11, 2001, changed everything.
The Heroic Legacy of Scott Davidson
Scott Davidson wasn't just Pete’s father; he was a legend in the FDNY community long before he became a household name through his son’s comedy. He worked at Ladder Company 118 in Brooklyn Heights. On the morning of 9/11, Scott and his unit were among the first to respond. They were last seen crossing the Brooklyn Bridge toward the Twin Towers, a moment captured in an iconic photograph of their fire truck.
He died while helping evacuate people from the Marriott World Trade Center hotel. Pete was only seven years old.
Losing a father that way—in the middle of a global catastrophe—did something to Pete. He’s been super open about the trauma. He once told The New York Times that he acted out so much in school he ended up ripping his hair out until he was bald. It’s heavy stuff. Scott wasn’t just a hero on 9/11, though. He was a huge sports guy, a history buff who played basketball at the College of Staten Island, and a part-time bartender. Basically, he was a quintessential New York guy.
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In December 2025, Pete actually welcomed his first child with girlfriend Elsie Hewitt. They named their daughter Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson. It’s a pretty beautiful full-circle moment, naming his kid after the dad he lost way too soon.
Amy Waters Davidson: The Mom Who Held It All Together
If Scott is the legendary hero, Amy is the rock. After Scott died, she was left to raise Pete and his younger sister, Casey, on her own. She worked as a school nurse at Xavier High School, and she’s essentially been Pete’s biggest cheerleader from day one.
You’ve probably seen her. She’s appeared on Saturday Night Live during "Mother’s Day" sketches, and she even did a Smartwater commercial with him. They’re incredibly close. Like, "bought a house together in 2019" close.
For a few years, Pete lived in the basement of the $1.3 million Staten Island home they purchased together. He joked about it constantly, calling it his "man cave" where "nothing happens." But beneath the jokes, it was clear he just wanted to be near her.
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That Famous Twitter Burner Account
One of the funniest things about pete davidson parents is the lengths Amy would go to to protect her son. Pete revealed on a podcast that during his early SNL years, when the internet was being particularly mean, Amy created a fake Twitter account under the name @JoeSmith1355.
She would literally go to war with trolls, defending Pete’s talent and usefulness. The best part? She didn’t really hide it well. Pete said everyone figured out it was her pretty quickly. It’s the ultimate "mom" move.
Turning Tragedy Into "The King of Staten Island"
You can't talk about his parents without mentioning the 2020 movie The King of Staten Island. Judd Apatow directed it, but Pete co-wrote it as a semi-autobiographical tribute to his family.
In the film, Bill Burr plays a firefighter who starts dating Pete’s mom (played by Marisa Tomei). While the plot is fictional, the emotional core is 100% real. It deals with the "weird s---" that happens to your brain when your dad dies a hero and you’re just a kid trying to find a reason to wake up in the morning. Pete has said that if his childhood had been "normal," he’d probably just be a construction worker on the island. Instead, the grief pushed him into comedy.
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Comedy was his defense mechanism. It was how he processed the fact that he found out his dad died by watching the news because his mom was trying to shield him from the truth for those first few days.
Some Darker Family Realities
Recently, Pete hasn't held back about the more complicated parts of his family tree either. During a 2025 stand-up set in Newark, he got real about his maternal grandfather. While he’s incredibly close to his dad’s father, he didn't have many kind words for his mom's dad, alleging the man was abusive. It's a reminder that even the "funny guy" has layers of family drama that aren't always easy to digest.
What We Can Learn From the Davidson Family
The story of pete davidson parents is really a story about resilience. It’s about how a nurse and a firefighter built a life that survived a national tragedy, and how that legacy continues through a grandson who carries his name and a son who uses laughter to keep the darkness at bay.
If you're looking to understand more about this dynamic, here are a few things to check out:
- Watch The King of Staten Island: It’s the closest you’ll get to seeing Pete’s internal world and his respect for the FDNY.
- Support "Answer The Call": This is the charity Pete frequently supports. It provides financial assistance to the families of New York City police officers and firefighters who have died in the line of duty.
- Look at Scott Davidson’s FDNY bio: The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation has a beautiful tribute to him that details his life before 9/11.
Pete might be a movie star now, but he’s still that kid from Staten Island who just wants to make his mom proud and keep his dad's memory alive. It’s a messy, loud, tragic, and ultimately very human story.
To really honor the legacy Scott Davidson left behind, consider donating a small amount to the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund. It’s the exact organization that helped Amy and Pete when they were at their lowest, and it ensures other families in the same position don't have to navigate the aftermath of a loss alone.