It's been a little over a week since television icon Alan Thicke died at age 69, and medical professionals are now able to confirm what it was that killed the famous actor. Apparently, the death came as a complete surprise to everyone close to Thicke.
Alan Thicke's death certificate reveals that he suffered a heart attack while playing hockey with his son last Tuesday, E! News reports. Specifically, Thicke died from a ruptured aorta and stanford type A aortic dissection, which took lethal effect during a hockey game with his 19-year-old son Carter. Thicke began to falter on the ice, and skated over to the bench where he lay down and began moaning in pain. He was rushed to the hospital, but they unfortunately could not save him, and pronounced him dead that afternoon. The heart attack reportedly came as a shock to everyone close to him, who said that the actor was in good health and that he was even making jokes with his son as he was being wheeled out of the hockey rink on the stretcher, the LA Times reported.
This past Sunday, the cast of Alan Thicke's iconic '80s sitcom Growing Pains reunited at a memorial service for the actor, CNN reported. The series' main cast of Joanna Kerns, Kirk Cameron, Tracey Gold, and Jeremy Miller all shared a few words about their late TV husband or dad, and even Leonardo DiCaprio --- a late Growing Pains addition --- showed up to pay his respects. In addition, a bunch of other stars that Thicke worked with throughout his life came to memorialize him, including Bob Saget, Rob Lowe, Alex Trebek, Kris Jenner, and Bill Maher. Saget and Trebek both gave speeches, as did Thicke's son Robin Thicke, who cracked a few jokes about his late dad as well.
Though Robin Thicke was full of jokes at the memorial service --- something that his famously funny father probably would have loved --- the superstar singer was somber last week when he found out about his dad's death. Robin posted a note to Instagram after hearing the terrible news, in which he called his late father the best man he ever knew and the best friend he ever had.
There might be some irony in the fact that it was Alan Thicke's heart that wound up doing him in, after he touched the hearts of an entire generation of television viewers. Rest in peace, big guy.
