Tracey Gold was “honored” to play Alan Thicke’s daughter on Growing Pains, the actress shared in an emotional statement to Entertainment Weekly one day after the TV veteran’s death.
“I am in absolute shock and so unbelievably sad,” Gold, who played his character’s daughter Carol Seaver on the hit ’90s sitcom, said in her statement. “In 1985, the Seavers became a family and Alan was our patriarch. I looked up to Alan and admired him greatly. I always listened to his advice and wisdom. He was so kind and warm and always made me laugh. He was incredibly proud that our Growing Pains days were about family, all our families.”
“He was truly an amazing father,” she continued. “His sons were his world. Our Growing Pains family is hurting today and that will not go away anytime soon. He was so full of life. I thought we had so much time. I’m not ready to say goodbye. I am so honored to have been his daughter for seven beautiful years. I love you Alan and will miss you forever.”
The actress’ statement comes after fellow Growing Pains actors Kirk Cameron, Joanna Kerns and Leonardo DiCaprio also expressed their grief over Thicke’s sudden death at the age of 69 on Tuesday, December 13. Cameron, who played Thicke’s son on the ’80s sitcom, wrote that he was proud to act alongside the former talk show host.
“I spent Monday through Friday for seven important years with Alan Thicke as my ‘TV dad.’ I’m shocked and truly heartbroken today at the news of his death,” Cameron shared on Instagram. “Alan was a generous, kind and loving man.”
DiCaprio, who played homeless teen Luke Bower on the show, also paid his respects. In a Facebook post, the Oscar winner wrote that “Alan was a devoted father, husband, friend and role model” and that he “will be forever grateful for the opportunity” he had to work with Thicke.
As previously reported, Thicke died unexpectedly of a heart attack while playing hockey with his teenage son Carter in Los Angeles.
Read the rest of Hollywood’s reactions — including his famous son Robin Thicke’s — here.
