'Take a shot kiddo': Alan Thicke was joking around playing hockey and had his teenage son snap a photo of him as he was taken away on a stretcher moments before he died

• e-mail

Alan Thicke was joking around just moments before his death on Tuesday.

The beloved actor was playing hockey with friends and his teenage son Carter when he suddenly was forced to sit down in the middle of the game, but assured the men that he was completely fine.

Carter thought otherwise however, and had someone call 911 to get an ambulance on the scene.

Alan however continued to brush off the concerns  of those around him and urged everyone to return to the game, which they did. 

And the Growing Pains star still thought he was going to be fine even while being taken away on the stretcher, making Carter, 19, snap a photo of him as he was taken into the ambulance because he thought it was funny.

Darin Mathewson, vice president of Pickwick Gardens, told Entertainment Tonight that Alan said to his son: 'Ah, take a shot kiddo.'

He also told Carter to make sure he got the hockey rink in the background. 

Alan died of a heart attack at the age of 69 soon after he arrived at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center.

Scroll down for video 

All good: Alan Thicke (above in 2004) was joking around and saying he was fine after his heart attack struck while playing hockey with friends on Tuesday morning

Having some fun: The 69-year-old actor also asked his teenage son Carter (above in 2014) to photograph him on the stretcher while being carted to the ambulance, joking: 'Take a shot kiddo'

Final photo: Smokey Robinson, Jane Seymour and Alan posed for a photo together just three days before his death at John Paul DeJoria's holiday party on Saturday night 

'I was in my office [and] probably in the first 15 to 20 minutes of the game, these guys came running in and said, "Hey. call 911. We got a guy down." So I called immediately and went out there,' said Mathewson recalled. 

'In Burbank, the EMTs and the ambulance services are really fast, within a few minutes, and by the time I got out there, they were coming in.'

He added that Alan was coherent but was also vomiting at the time. 

'He said he had pain in his chest, but his color was not good. He was a little grey,' said Matthewson.

'When the ambulance got here they checked his vitals ... and they put him on the gurney, sat him up.'

Then, on the way out, Matthewson said that Alan gave him a thumbs up to suggest that he was going to be fine.

He says that the entire staff at Pickwick Gardens is 'very saddened' by the events of Tuesday.

'We didn't think that was going to be the case so it's very sad news,'aid Matthewson. 

'I felt bad for Carter, I could see he was very shaken up by the whole thing.'

Matthewson also said that Alan was a joker right until the end.

'He always had a good one-liner after everything,' he said. 

'Funny, good, good guy - good man. We're just going to miss him so much.'

Among the men who were with Alan at Pickwick Ice in Burbank on Tuesday morning playing in the game was Michael Vartan.

Alan and the Alias actor were reportedly joking around just before the incident, which happened about 15 minutes into their game. 

His friends, including Michael Vartan (above with Matthew Perry in 2014), continued to play hockey while Alan was taken away because he assured them nothing was wrong

Tragedy: Alan (above with Wayne Gretzky) passed away soon after he arrived at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center

Alan was a Canadian-born TV host, writer, composer and actor well-known in his homeland before making his name in the United States, most notably with the ABC series 'Growing Pains.' 

On that comedy, which aired from 1985 to 1992, Alan played Dr. Jason Seaver, a psychiatrist and father-knows-best who moved his practice into his home so his wife could go back to work as a reporter. 

Along with his clients, he had three (later four) kids under foot, including his oldest son, Mike, played by Kirk Cameron, who served as a constant source of comedic trouble for the family.

Born in Ontario, Canada, in 1947, Alan was nominated for three Emmy Awards for his work in the late 1970s as a writer for Barry Manilow's talk show, and later for a satirical take on the genre in the variety show 'America 2-Night.'

He composed several popular theme songs, including the original theme for 'The Wheel of Fortune' and other shows including 'The Facts of Life' and 'Diff'rent Strokes.' 

Looking out: was the one who got someone to call 911 and make an ambulance come to the rink in Burbank, California to be safe (Carter, Tanya and Alan Thicke above in 2015)

Family: Alan posted a photo recently of himself with his son Robin and his grandson Julian (above)

In the 1990s and beyond, Alan stayed busy as a celebrity TV host and with guest shots on dozens of series, including 'How I Met Your Mother' and, this year, the Netflix series 'Fuller House' and the NBC drama 'This Is Us.'

Celebrities who had crossed paths with Alan, whether through music, acting or simply as friends, expressed their sorrow at news of his death. 

In 2003, Alan received 30 stitches and lost five teeth after he was struck by a puck while practicing for a celebrity fundraising hockey game.

'I won't be playing any leading men roles in the next couple of months,' he joked after the accident.

His musical skills were passed down to his Grammy-winning son Robin who, with brother Brennan, was born to Alan and the first of his three wives, Gloria Loring.

In an email, Loring described Thicke's passing as 'a shock. We were all just together for Thanksgiving. He was funny, talented and deeply devoted to his family.'

Carter is from Alan's marriage to second wife Gina Tolleson. 

He had been married to Tanya Callau since 2005. 

LEONARDO DICAPRIO JOINS KIRK CAMERON, DEMI LOVATO AND BOB SAGET IN TRIBUTES TO ACTOR ALAN THICKE

Celebrities were quick to take to Twitter to express their sadness at the death of growing Pains star Alan Thicke on Tuesday.

The actor died following a heart attack. He was 69.

'Alan Thicke was always the nicest and happiest person in the room,' tweeted Charmed star Alyssa Milano. 'Gone way too soon. Rest In Peace.'

Thicke had recently made a guest appearance on Fuller House and Lori Loughlin, who reprised her role as beck from the original on the reboot, said she was 'so sad' to hear of the Canadian actor's death.

Fuller House star Bob Saget described Thicke as 'such a good husband, father, brother and friend.'

'He will be deeply missed,' Saget added. 

Full House and Fuller House's Candace Cameron Bure posted a photo of the two of them together on the Netflix series set.

She wrote: 'I'm sad beyond words that Alan Thicke has passed away. I've known you since I was 8 years old and so glad I had the pleasure of working with you again so recently on Fuller House.'

'You were a part of my family and hockey family. You will be greatly missed. ❤️ My heart hurts.' 

'So so sad to hear about the passing of #AlanThicke,' wrote actress Olivia Munn. 'Such a nice guy..... rest in love.'

'My thoughts and prayers are with his family,' singer Demi Lovato tweeted.

Meanwhile, actress Paula Patton, who was Thicke's daughter-in-law for many years and the mother of his grandson Julian, posted an inspirational poem by Mother Teresa to her Instagram Tuesday evening.

Patton, who divorced Robin Thicke in 2015, simply captioned the text with a heart symbol.

Former CNN chat show host Larry King recalled Thicke as 'a wonderful talent, a wonderful man.'

Ryan Seacrest said Thicke had been 'a great friend' while Russell Simmmons declared via Twitter: 'The world has lost an icon.'

'I grew up watching him and got to know him through Robin. He was always so kind to me,' John Legend posted on Twitter.

'You were a part of my family and hockey family. You will be greatly missed. My heart hurts,' Candace Cameron Bure tweeted.

'RIP dear friend and gentleman,' posted Marlee Matlin. 

Canadian singer Anne Murray described herself as 'devastated' by Thicke's passing , adding that as well as being a friend, he had also written and produced many of her television specials over the years. 

William Shatner tweeted that he was saddened by his friend's loss, and singer Anne Murray's Twitter post said she was 'shocked and devastated,' recalling him as a friend as well as a writer and producer of many of her TV specials.

The Edmonton Oilers also weighed in.

'RIP to one of the great ones, Alan Thicke,' was posted on the hockey team's website, with a photo of a young Thicke and Wayne Gretzky on the ice.