Best known as a DJ and dancer on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "So You Think You Can
Dance," Stephen "tWitch" Boss took his own life in December 2022. This is how his widow,
fellow dancer Allison Holker, has coped with the tragedy.
On December 10, 2022, just three days before Boss' death,
Holker shared a reel of photos from her and Boss's wedding on Instagram. The
couple was celebrating their ninth wedding anniversary. Holker wrote:
"I couldn't be more grateful to celebrate this perfect magical day!!! Saying YES to
[tWitch] has been one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life!! I feel so blessed
and loved!! I love you baby and I will never take you or OUR love for granted!"
Eleven days later, eight days after Boss' death, she posted a selfie of herself and Boss, writing:
"My ONE and ONLY Oh how my heart aches. We miss you so much."
Several celebrities commented on the post, sending her their love, condolences, and
support. Among them was Jojo Siwa, who worked with Boss on "So You Think You Can Dance," who wrote:
"We all love you so much."
Mary Murphy, a judge on the show, told Access,
"You know, I'm shocked with the rest of the world. He was so well loved."
Holker also released a statement to People, which read in part:
"To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will
continue to be felt. I am certain there won't be a day that goes by that we won't honor his memory."
On January 4, 2023, Holker and Boss' family gathered to honor his life in
a private service. E! News quoted a source close to the family as saying,
"A larger celebration of life for the friends [...] Stephen considers
family will be put together in the future."
According to Entertainment Tonight, the celebration of life was held on February 11th,
2023 and was led by the family's pastor, Joe Smith. Several attendees delivered speeches,
remembering Boss' life, his work, and the way he had impacted their lives. Holker and Weslie
Fowler, her 14-year-old daughter, spoke. Comedian, author, and activist Loni Love
joined the family during the service and later posted a photo of the program on her Instagram.
According to People, Holker said in her speech,
"He was the light. He chose love, grace and kindness. And he deserves to be celebrated."
Holker and her children established the Move with Kindness Foundation to honor the memory
of Boss and advocate for mental health. People noted that wristbands bearing the foundation's
name were given out at the service, and guests had the opportunity to donate.
Many of Boss' fans posted on social media about the different ways in which he had
touched their lives. One Reddit user talked about working with Boss and Allison Holker
on "So You Think You Can Dance" and driving him around for a photoshoot:
"By the end of the day I had even told him about a personal project
I was making at the time. I dropped him off at his home and a few minutes later I
got an email notification on my phone. It was a Kickstarter notification for a very
generous donation that read 'much love and good luck.' It was from Stephen."
Another user replied,
"He really seemed like one of those people who lit up a room and everyone else wanted to be around."
These are some examples of the hundreds of people who posted on different platforms to
honor the way in which Boss lived his life and inspired people.
On February 18, 2023, a little over two months after Boss' passing,
Holker shared an Instagram video in which she thanked the fans for the support she had received.
"You guys have brought so much hope and inspiration to us by sharing stories and
memories and moments in different ways Stephen impacted your life."
A source close to Holker told People that she's
doing as well as could be expected. The source said,
"Her first priority is the kids, and she is being
the best mom she can be. The support from friends has been invaluable."
The statement came the day after Holker shared her lengthy Instagram
video thanking fans. She also discussed that things were going to feel different,
but she hoped to continue to bring joy to people.
"I hope that we can remember the feeling he gave us,
and that we can still move from there. We can still move and choose love."
A month earlier, Holker posted a reel honoring her husband,
remembering Boss for who he was and what he brought to the world. She wrote,
"We will forever remember you as the true beacon of light that you
were and we will continue to cast your light and love throughout the world."
When Boss passed away, he did so without a will, which meant getting his estate in
order was a complicated process. According to People, Holker had to file a motion called a
spousal property petition with the Superior Court of California to claim half of their joint estate.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Holker had to provide documentation proving that she was
indeed Boss' wife and that he hadn't left a written will. This petition will confirm and
determine the property belongs and should be attributed to Holker. The estate she
is filing for includes the investment account from his production company,
royalties for any work he has done, and half of their community property.
When Boss met Holker in 2010, she had a daughter from a previous relationship,
Weslie. The couple married in 2013, and shortly after their wedding,
Boss adopted Weslie. Boss and Holker later had two more children, Maddox and Zaia.
Until Boss' passing, Weslie was pretty active on social media, particularly her TikTok. In some
of her videos, followers were able to see her parents at home or on a family outing,
as well as her younger siblings. However, after the death of Boss, she took a break from posting
on social media. The last video she posted for some time was the day her father died,
in which she was singing along to the song "Kill Bill" by SZA.
A little over two months later, on February 20,
2023, she posted anotherTikTok video set to the song "Surf" by Mac Miller. She can
be seen holding her phone with a photo of herself with Boss. The caption reads,
"i miss u."
Her mother was one of the first to comment, saying,
"I love you babygirl always and forever."