Former Child Star Says His TV Dad ‘Stepped Up’ to Help Him When He Was on ‘Brink of Homelessness’

Growing Pains star Jeremy Miller will forever be grateful to TV dad Alan Thicke, revealing that the late actor “stepped up” for him when he was on the “brink of homelessness.”

The former child actor, who starred as Ben Seaver on the beloved sitcom from 1985 to 1992, revealed that Thicke, who played Dr. Jason Seaver, went above and beyond to help him when the 2008 financial crisis impacted his catering company.

“He was just one of the most amazing men,” Miller, 48, said in an interview with Youngstown Studio released on Aug. 21 of Thicke, who died in 2016 at age 69.

When the economy crashed in 2008, Miller said his catering company “went under,” and he was “really struggling” to the point that he was “on the brink of homelessness.”

The private chef revealed that Thicke and their Growing Pains costar, Kirk Cameron, immediately jumped to help him get back on his feet.

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Jeremy Miller starred as Ben Seaver in the ’80s/’90s sitcom hit “Growing Pains.” In this Youngstown Studio interview clip, Jeremy talks about the late, great Alan Thicke and shares a heartwarming story about the legendary TV dad and actor. #growingpains #alanthicke Full interview: https://loom.ly/C3leuWM

♬ original sound – youngstownstudio – youngstownstudio

“Things got really bad, and Alan and Kirk were the only two who stepped up to help me,” he recalled. “Alan set up interviews with all of his restaurateur friends in Santa Barbara and a few other places and got me connected to different places where I could utilize my chef skills and earn some money to help take care of my family.

“All it took was a phone call to say, ‘Hey, Al, I’m really struggling. Do you know anybody who might —’ and that’s all I had to say,” Miller recalled. “He was on the phone for the next two days, making connections and doing everything he could to try and help me. That was just the kind of guy he was.”

Looking back on his time with Thicke, Miller said the late actor was “always so full of life,” which is why his death was “such a shock.”

“I mean, all of us, we really thought he was gonna be the next Dick Clark, you know? 102 and still going,” he explained. “Because he was so full of life and so full of energy.”

Even with “no cartilage” in his knees and a “fused vertebrae in his back,” Miller recalled Thicke was still out there playing hockey with his son.

“He was just such a kind, generous, and amazing man. And him and I would talk probably once a month, once every two months,” Miller shared. “He would call just to check up on me, make sure everything’s going good. But he really did fill that father role. He was my other dad.”