Stephen Boss, known as tWitch, Dies at 40

On December 13th 2022, Stephen Laurel Boss (tWitch) passed away. News broke on December 14th when his wife, Allison Holker confirmed his death in a statement to People. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” she said in her statement, “Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans.” She continued, “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. We ask for privacy during this difficult time for myself and especially for our three children.” The legacy of tWitch will live on. We can take a look at his life, some highlights of his career, and briefly discuss how he died and how we can stop this from happening to anyone else.

tWitch was born September 29th, 1982 in Montgomery, Alabama. He was 40 when he died on December 13th in Los Angeles, California. He studied dance performance at Southern Union State Community College in Wadley, Alabama and Chapman University. In 2003, he became a semi-finalist on MTV’s The Wade Robson Project and the runner up on Star Search. Stephen earned the nickname tWitch because he could not stop moving in school or church, according to an article by the New York Times. Boss married Allison Holker on December 10th, 2013 and had three kids, Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia Boss. He had a bubbly personality and presence on TV and was often seen wearing a fedora. tWitch was best known for his dance skills on many dance competition shows and his role of a DJ on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Many people would argue and say he is most famous for being on the show So You Think You Can Dance, and others would argue and say he is best known for working on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. Whatever your opinion is, we can all agree that these were some of the biggest highlights of Boss’s career. 

Stephen Boss joined So You Think You Can Dance in 2008 at 25 years old. His talent was popping, a dance form associated with hip hop that involves isolating parts of the body with staccato rhythm and an ability to make the judges burst into laughter with his facial expressions and theatrics, according to an article by the New York Times. He finished the show as fourth-runner up. He later returned to the show in 2010 as an all-star and coach to the contestants that year. Then in season 17, tWitch came back as a judge, “A full circle moment”. tWitch joined the Ellen show in 2014 and was with it till the show ended May 26th 2022. He was best known as a DJ on the show, and eventually became an executive producer for the show in 2020.  Ms. DeGeneres said in an episode this year, that Mr. Boss was her pal and sidekick. tWitch was not only a great person but a great dancer which was reflected throughout his career with all of the opportunities he was given. 

It’s not only important to look back on his life, but also on how he died. tWitch died December 13th, 2022 by suicide. He was found at a motel in Los Angeles and the medical examiner ruled his case death by suicide. It’s important to note how everyone shows their emotions on the outside isn’t always how they feel on the inside. tWitch was characterized as a bright and happy person, but was most likely suffering mentally in many different ways we don’t know about. If you or anyone else you know is showing any signs suicide, talk to a professional or seek help as soon as possible. Suicide is not the answer. It’s a temporary problem with a permanent solution that will not only hurt you, but those around you that love and care for you. 

In conclusion, tWitch was a light for many people and unfortunately it wasn’t enough for him. While we don’t know all the details of his death, we look back on his life and some highlights of his career, as well as his death and how to prevent this from happening to other people. If you or a loved one is in need of help, please call the national suicide hotline or reach out for help. It is never too late.

 If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.