An emotional celebration of life ceremony was held on Saturday in Los Angeles for Stephen “tWitch” Boss, and his loved ones paid tribute to him there.
In order to pay respect to the dancer and former DJ on the Ellen DeGeneres Show turned producer, his wife Allison Holker Boss, together with the couple’s children, opened their home to his friends and other artists for an afternoon filled with dancing, prayer, and happy memories.
Ellen DeGeneres, who was Stephen’s friend and mentor, was one of the speakers who shared their feelings and affection for Stephen. Other speakers were the comedians Loni Love and Wayne Brady.
Other guests were Derek Hough, Wade Robson, AJ McLean, and Robin Antin, as well as various members of the cast and staff of the show “So You Think You Can Dance” and the complete cast and crew of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”
Debbie Allen, a legend in the world of dance, and Jeff Thacker, who presided over the ceremony that married Stephen and Allison in 2013, both presented a video tribute. In addition, visitors were treated to performances by country musician Mickey Guyton and “Honey, I’m Good” vocalist Andy Grammer.
The most moving part of the event was when Allison and her daughter Weslie, who is 14 years old, went up in front of everyone to share their thoughts on the influence Stephen had on their life as a husband and a father. “He was the guiding light. He made the decision to love, to have grace, and to be compassionate. And he should be honored for his accomplishments, “Allison stated.
It was also an opportunity for Allison to carry on the legacy of her late husband, Stephen, through the Move with Kindness Foundation, which was established in Stephen’s memory on behalf of Allison and the couple’s three children, Weslie, Maddox, age 6, and Zaia, age 3, to support mental health initiatives. The event was a chance for Allison to honor her late husband’s memory in this way.
Display cards said that the purpose of the group is to “raise persons suffering misfortune by providing as a source of support and inspiration,” and guests who attended the event were given “Move with Kindness” wristbands as well as an invitation to make a donation to the charity.
On December 13th, Stephen took his own life and passed at the age of 40. His widow sent a message to PEOPLE the next day, which stated her husband had passed away. Alison, who is 34 years old, wrote a statement in which she pondered on the legacy that her husband has left behind and described the sort of person her spouse was.
“Stephen was like a beacon of light whenever he entered a room. Above all things, he placed the utmost importance on his family, his friends, and the community he lived in. Leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the rock around which our family was built, the ideal husband and father, and a source of motivation for all of his followers “— I quote her.
She went on to remark that it would be an understatement to claim that he did not leave behind a legacy and that his good influence would continue to be felt. “I am certain that not a single day will pass without us paying tribute to his memory in some way. During this trying time for our family, particularly for our three children, we ask that you respect our need for privacy.”
In her concluding remarks, Allison sent a particular message to her husband, Stephen, which read as follows: “Stephen, we love you, we miss you, and I will always reserve the final dance for you.”
After his passing, several famous people, including Jennifer Lopez, Ciara, Kerry Washington, Michelle Obama, Jada Pinkett Smith, JoJo Siwa, and Cheryl Burke, paid him heartfelt condolences in the days and weeks that followed. Friends of Boss from the television show Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance have also paid homage to him on social media.
Since then, Allison has paid several tributes to her late spouse across various platforms of social media.
Alongside a snapshot of the two of them, Allison wrote on her blog on December 21: “My ONE AND ONLY Oh, how much my heart hurts for you. You are sorely missed by all of us.”
A few weeks later, on January 6, Allison posted an emotional video tribute in honor of the So You Think You Can Dance star who had passed away. Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” provided the soundtrack for the video, which also included unposed photographs of the family.
She captioned the video with the following: “To my husband, best friend, sweetheart, Chee-chalker, and Superman and the father of my children I LOVE YOU FOREVER and ALWAYS.” “We will always remember you as the genuine beacon of light that you were, and we will continue to project your light and love across the globe,” they said. “We will always remember you.”
“Thank you for our great memories and our lovely life that we spent together,” she said as a closing statement.
Stephen first gained notoriety when competing on The Wade Robson Project, which airs on MTV, and then went on to finish in second place on Star Search. Subsequently, in 2008, he took part in the competition on So You Think You Can Dance, where he finished the fourth season as the runner-up and later returned as an All-Star. When the program resumed its run in 2022, he was serving as a judge.
Stephen began appearing as a guest DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in the year 2014. After some time, he was given a consistent role on the show, and in the year 2020, he was promoted to the position of co-executive producer.
The late celebrity had previously served with Allison as a co-host on Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings. In addition to that, he has roles in a number of well-known films and television programs, such as Magic Mike XXL, Modern Family, and Step Up All In.
Off-camera, Stephen regularly shared on social media humorous dancing videos that he and Allison, another contestant on SYTYCD, had created together. Their children would often participate with their parents in the dancing videos that they posted online.
On January 4, he was put to rest in a private ceremony held by his family.
You may reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling 988, texting “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or going to 988lifeline.org. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
