Popular dancer and Ellen DJ, Stephen "tWitch" Boss has died at 40.
Boss rose to fame on So You Think You Can Dance and later as the gregarious DJ for the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” Boss' wife, fellow dancer Allison Holker Boss with whom he shared three children, said in a statement, per CNN. “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. To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt,” she added. “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.”
A popular dancer, Boss first gained prominence in 2003 as a semifinalist on MTV’s The Wade Robson Project. He was also a runner-up on Star Search. In 2008, he became a runner-up on So You Think You Can Dance, and later returned as a judge. In 2014, he began DJing on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, a spot he held until the show's end this year.
"I'm heartbroken. tWitch was pure love and light," DeGeneres said. "He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him. Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children - Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia."
Questlove also offered words of solace after reports indicated Boss had died by suicide.
"May we all find peace of mind in our everyday lives," he wrote on IG. "Everyday is a winding road & you just may never know who is on the edge. A lot of us can’t process emotions & how to deal with it. I’ll admit yesterday was rotten & every minuscule occurrence of a Murphy’s Law nature sent me spiraling. Take time out for yourselves if you feel like you’re on the edge (I know most of us are confused when it comes to darker emotions like sadness and anger—-both healthy to express but becomes problematic when your solution is to figure out how to get rid of the feelings that don’t feel good to you. Take time out for yourselves & sit in silence people. Time literally heals wounds."
See tributes for DJ tWitch from Chuck D, Ellen, Questlove, and more below.
