Pete Davidson reflects on 9/11 loss now that he's a father himself

Pete Davidson is opening up about how becoming a father has reshaped his understanding of his own dad's death, as the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks approaches.

Davidson's father, New York City firefighter Scott Davidson, died responding to the attacks when Pete was just 7 years old.

In a recent interview Davidson has now explained that he used to think of his father as much older at the time of his death, but now, as he approaches the same age his dad was, 33, it hits differently, especially with his own daughter in mind.

"I thought, 'Oh, he was an old guy. He's 33,'" Davidson told The New York Post in an interview published on September 8. "But now I'm there, and I have a kid, and that would be like my kid not having her dad."

Davidson and ex-girlfriend Elsie Hewitt welcomed their daughter eight months ago and named her Scottie, after his father. He said the choice came naturally to both of them, even after their relationship ended shortly after her birth.

"It was really cool that Elsie also wanted to name her Scottie," he told the outlet. "My dad's name was Scott, but his nickname was Scotty. When she arrived, we both looked at her and were like, 'She looks like a Scottie.' It's nice to keep that name alive."

He admitted this year feels especially difficult, since he's now the same age his father was when he died, but also meaningful, since he gets to spend the anniversary with his daughter.

He said he looks forward to eventually sharing stories, photos, and videos of his father with her as she grows older.

As part of the anniversary, Davidson hosted a 9/11 comedy benefit at Madison Square Garden alongside Jon Stewart and appears in an ABC News special marking 25 years since the attacks.