beth catt would die at the age of 32, leaving behind four-year-old hayden and 2-year-old abby. suddenly, scott catt was a widower, a single dad with toddlers. how did you deal with it personally? >> reporter: you were in denial? >> completely. about grieving. about depression. about my ability to raise them by myself. i started drinkin' heavily. >> while dad was drowning his sorrows sorrows, the kids were thriving in the pool. the star swimmers were also decent students and when he was sober their dad was the proud president of the swim club. and the kids idolized him. >> he was my best friend for a long time. he was a whole lot of fun. loved water parks and disneyland almost as much as the kids. >> we're all screaming and yelling, and he went on all of the rides with us. and that's cool. >> reporter: so cool that he was really more a friend than a parent. >> there wasn't really a disciplinarian. there was no one there hounding us to do homework, or keep up our grades. >> i knew it wasn't normal. but to me, it was my normal. >> reporter: abby and hayden, by this time young teen