Robin Thicke on late dad Alan Thicke: “Greatest man I ever met”
Robin Thicke is speaking out after the unexpected death of his dad, Alan Thicke.
Alan died on Tuesday at age 69 after suffering a heart attack while playing hockey with his 19-year-old son, Carter, ET can confirm.
Robin, 39, took to Instagram late Tuesday, writing, “My Father passed away today. He was the best man I ever knew. The best friend I ever had. Let’s all rejoice and celebrate the joy he brought to every room he was in. We love you Alan Thicke. Thank you for you love. Love, your grateful son.
Robin also spoke with the Los Angeles Times earlier in the night, where he remembered his late father as “the greatest man I ever met,” noting that he was “always a gentleman.”
“The good thing was that he was beloved and he had closure,” he said. “I saw him a few days ago and told him how much I loved and respected him.”
Robin, who released his first album in 1999 and became a household name after 2013’s “Blurred Lines” became a massive hit, told the newspaper that he credits his father for “being an inspiration and very supportive of his music career.” Alan was not only a celebrated actor, but also an accomplished musician. The Ontario native created the original theme song for Wheel of Fortune, as well as the lead tunes for Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes.
Paula Patton, Robin’s ex-wife, shared a quote from Mother Teresa on Twitter shortly after news of Alan’s death broke, which read in part: “Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it.”
— Paula Patton (@PaulaPattonXO) December 14, 2016
Gloria Loring, Robin’s mother and Alan’s first wife, also took to social media, thanking friends for their support via Facebook.
“Thank you for your kindness concerning Alan Thicke’s passing. It is a shock,” she wrote. “We were all just together for Thanksgiving. He was talented, funny and deeply devoted to his family. Rest In Peace, dear one.”
Dear Friends, Thank you for your kindness concerning Alan Thicke's passing. It is a shock. We were all just together for...
Posted by Gloria Loring on Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Alan was best known for his role as patriarch Jason Seaver on the hit ‘80s sitcom, Growing Pains, and he was just as beloved by his TV family. His youngest on-screen daughter, Ashley Johnson, was the first from that show to send her condolences. In a since-deleted tweet, she posted a quote from poet Washington Irving alongside a throwback photo of her and Thicke on set.