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When Alan Thicke died at the age of 69 after a heart attack in December, his son Carter Thicke got consolation from an unexpected source.

Leonardo DiCaprio, who as a teenager starred with the elder Thicke on Growing Pains, 'is just the most amazing guy,' the 19-year-old told Entertainment Tonight.

'I mean, I didn’t even have his number. He went out of his way to send me a text, and, I mean, you could see his genuine love and respect for my dad,' he said.

Coping: When Alan Thicke died at the age of 69 after a heart attack in December, his son Carter Thicke got consolation from an unexpected source

The Titanic star spoke at a memorial service for Alan, whose other Growing Pains co-stars Kirk Cameron, Tracey Gold, Jeremy Miller and Joanna Kerns also attended.

Carter noted of those cast members that 'I’ve kinda grown up with all of them and their children, and so, it was really, really incredible to have them there.'

He was also touched by the flood of social media tributes, mentioning 'some of his best friends, like Bob Saget and Bill Maher and [Wayne] Gretzky, and these guys that I’ve grown up with, and just opening their hearts out, you know, and crying.'

Helping hand: Leonardo DiCaprio, who as a teenager starred with the elder Thicke on Growing Pains, 'is just the most amazing guy,' the 19-year-old told Entertainment Tonight

A day after Thicke's death, the Real Time With Bill Maher host had tweeted: 'I often say when ppl ask if I'm friends with some showbiz person:"friend-LY".Not Alan Thicke. That was a real friend. None like ya,pal.2soon'.

'So sad is the passing of Alan Thicke,' tweeted Saget the day of Thicke's passing. 'Such a good husband, father, brother, and friend. He will be deeply missed. Rest in peace dear Alan.'

Meanwhile, Gretzky offered his and his wife's sympathy on Twitter, writing: 'Janet & I are deeply saddened to hear of Alan's passing. He was a wonderful man,father,husband and friend.He will be missed by all. RIP Alan.'

Class act: 'He went out of his way to send me a text, and, I mean, you could see his genuine love and respect for my dad'

Both Saget and Maher had turned up to that memorial service, which was peopled by such names as Kris Jenner, Alex Trebek, Kevin Costner and Barry Bonds.

Carter told Entertainment Tonight that his father 'really did touch so many people’s hearts. And that was at least, you know, a shining moment, ‘cause I knew that he would be ecstatic to be the number one trending topic on Twitter. I’m sure he would’ve loved that.'

He'd explained that at the burial, the day after the memorial, 'Being one of the pallbearers of the casket, that’s – that was – that was brutal. That was really rough, and obviously watching, you know, the casket go down. That’s kinda that moment where you realise that, you now, your – he’s being buried and that’s it.'

Celebrity outpouring: Carter noted that his father's friend Bill Maher had tweeted: 'I often say when ppl ask if I'm friends with some showbiz person:"friend-LY".Not Alan Thicke. That was a real friend. None like ya,pal.2soon'

Old pal: Bob Saget, whom Carter also brought up, had tweetedSuch a good husband, father, brother, and friend. He will be deeply missed. Rest in peace dear Alan'

Online salute: Another famous man Carter noted was Wayne Gretzky, who'd tweeted that his wife ''Janet & I are deeply saddened to hear of Alan's passing, saying that 'He was a wonderful man,father,husband and friend,' and that 'He will be missed by all,' closing 'RIP Alan'

Carter is Alan's third and youngest son, the product of his second marriage, which was to Gina Tolleson and lasted from 1994 until 1999.

By his first marriage, which was to Gloria Loring and lasted from 1970 to 1984, he's had sons Robin Thicke, 39, and Brennan Thicke, 42.

The veteran actor's survived by his third wife, Tanya Callau, whom he'd married 11 years before his death.

Carter's said mourning their father strengthened the brothers' relationship, and described his grief: 'You’re thinking you’re going to come into the driveway and come into the house and he’s gonna be there, and he’s not.'

'That was really rough': Carter's said that ''Being one of the pallbearers of the casket, that’s – that was – that was brutal'; he is pictured alongside the coffin with his elder brothers Robin and Brennan Thicke

Youngest: Carter is Alan's third son, the product of his second marriage, which was to Gina Tolleson and lasted from 1994 until 1999