Alan Thicke, star of the popular 80's sitcom, Growing Pains, died last Tuesday after reportedly suffering from a heart attack while playing hockey with his teenage son, Carter. He was rushed to St. Joseph's Medical Center in Burbank, Calif., but was pronounced dead on arrival. The publicist of his son, pop-soul singer Robin Thicke, confirmed it to The Times. He was 69.

Growing Pains aired on ABC for seven seasons. Thicke portrayed the character of Jason Seaver, a psychiatrist who works from home and helps raise his children, including Mike Seaver (Kirk Cameron). The show ran from September 1958 to April 1992. Joanna Kerns portrayed as his wife. In the finale season, Leonardo DiCaprio appeared as homeless young teen Luke Brower who moves in with the Seaver family, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Thicke's true name is Alan Willis Jeffrey and was born in the small town of Kirkland Lake, Ontario in the year 1947. After graduating in 1967, he found his first job in the entertainment industry with a variety show called The Good Company. In the 1970s, Thicke moved to Los Angeles and married actress Gloria Loring, whom he worked with behind the scenes as a producer and writer for shows such as Fernwood 2 Night and The Richard Pryor Show. In 1980, Thicke began hosting a daytime talk show called The Alan Thicke Show. Although it was a big hit in Canada, it eventually became less successful and ended after 3 years on air, Los Angeles Times reported.

Thicke might have had some failures in life, but he kept moving forward. After the show ended, Loring and Thicke divorced after 14 years of marriage and took joint custody of their kids. In 1985, he took on a sitcom role that would be his most successful endeavor in the United States. In 1992, Growing Pains was cancelled, but Thicke's entertainment career remained. Thicke also appeared on Netflix reboot Fuller House and made cameos on How I Met Your Mother.

Everyone in the entertainment industry and his family might still be in shock, but one thing is for sure: he will always be remembered as a great artist, a kind, generous, and loving father, and a great friend.