The dancing world lost a major talent last week, as Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss died by suicide at age 40. The tragic news rocked the Internet, and multitudes of fans flooded the social with their condolences. Many celebrities were quick to pay tribute to the former Ellen DeGeneres Show DJ as well, and now more are taking the time to honor him. Several Dancing With the Stars pros memorialized the late spouse of their former colleague, Allison Holker.
Ahead of the upcoming Dancing With the Stars Tour, ET spoke to some of the pros who are participating. On the heels of new details on tWitch’s death, the DWTS family got candid about the massive loss, which surely hits close to home. Alan Bersten, who was on So You Think You Can Dance alongside Stephen Boss, recalled their time on the series and spoke about his friend’s character:
I think it’s just disbelief. I think anyone who’s ever met tWitch will say that he’s the nicest, most caring, most present person really wants to make everyone feel better. It’s so devastating. I didn’t believe it. When I first started dancing in this entertainment business, it was on So You Think You Can Dance. He was the poster child, the pinnacle, the guy that never gave up and just kept going. He made it on the show and became such an inspiration to so many dancers, including myself. It’s so hard to believe.
Alexis Warr, the winner of SYTYCD Season 17 on which tWitch was a judge, also spoke out about his death. For her, the media personality wasn’t just someone who assisted her from a professional standpoint, but he was also an invaluable resource when it came to her personal life:
He was my judge when I did So You Think You Can Dance and he’s, like, the reason we stayed sane in a way. He provided so much support and so much guidance to us all. He really made an individual connection with each one of us and just made sure that we were loved and supported. He was like a proud dad to us. We always knew that he had our backs. He really taught us a lot of life lessons on the show, but also just in life in general.
tWitch’s sudden death apparently had a profound effect on Emma Slater as well. Slater got raw when discussing what the late dance pro meant to her and so many others:
For me, I was in complete shock, and I think just the sheer sadness of how this happened really made people understand worldwide just how fragile life is and to tell each other you love each other and to really check in. I know he has had definitely a profound impact on me. I just thought he was an angel. I really did. I can’t believe that something like this has happened to somebody who was just so good and so pure.
Allison Holker and tWitch celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary just days before his death, and the two share three kids. Britt Stewart, who has known Holker for years, made sure to send some love to her and their children as she recalled just how special Stephen Boss was:
tWitch was such a significant part of the dance community, but then he had this amazing ability to go beyond that. He just lit up every room. He was so positive no matter where he was. I know, personally, I really want to send a lot of love and light to his wife, Allison, who I’ve known since I was a teenager, and his kids, of course.
Brandon Armstrong paid tribute to Holker and the family while also hoping that this tragedy will encourage others to seek help if they’re in need, especially around the holidays:
We’re just praying for the family, praying for Allison and the kids, and hoping that people can use this as an opportunity to reach out to the people that they love, reach out to the people that may be struggling. If you are struggling, reach out to the people that love you. Know that you always have a family around you; you always have support.
In an interview with People, Sharna Burgess opened up about the loss of her friend and colleague. She specifically recalled the advice he gave her that still holds up to this day and also heaped immense praise on his legacy:
He was always sharing deep appreciation with me of what I created with him, and it was so wonderful to have that come from someone that’s such a beast and a talent in that field. I felt really seen by him and really appreciative of that compliment. I think the greatest thing that tWitch offered to the world wasn’t necessarily just his dance, [but] it was his sense of community and trying to support everyone around him and always giving his light to others. He will be deeply missed. He is going to be a bright light and be remembered and honored and celebrated for a very long time.
DWTS vet Derek Hough also paid tribute to his friend upon hearing the news. He posted a sweet photo of the two of them on Instagram. You can check out the sentimental post for yourself down below:
Ellen DeGeneres and others paid tribute to tWitch as well, and it’s been wonderful to see the outpouring of love for him and his family during this time. It just shows much of an impact he really made on not only the dancing world but within society in general. The beloved DJ of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, always appeared to be a force for good, and he will be dearly missed.
The star more recently served as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance, where he also gracefully dealt with fan complaints about the dancing series, and he also hosted Fox’s four-episode celebrity reality competition, The Real Dirty Dancing. It’s sad to think that he’s no longer with us, but his memory will live on through his family and various colleagues like the ones from Dancing with the Stars.
We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to the family and loved ones of Stephen “tWitch” Boss during this time. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, resources can be found on the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website, and you also call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 800-273-8255 or simply dial 988.
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