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Former “Dancing With the Stars” professional dancer Allison Holker has been dealing with the loss of her husband, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, who died by suicide on December 13. A source told “Entertainment Tonight” just how Holker and their three children are holding up.
Holker is Living in ‘A Nightmare’ After Boss’s Death, According to the Source
A source told “Entertainment Tonight” that Holker feels like she is living in “a nightmare” after Boss’s death and that the whole family is feeling Boss’s “tremendous loss.”
“[Holker] is beside herself,” said the source, adding, “It feels like she is living a nightmare.”
“Twitch was such a genuine and good-hearted person and his loved ones are feeling his tremendous loss,” added the source.
For her part, Holker has spoken out twice since Boss’s death. The first time was the day the news broke, which was first reported by TMZ. Holker issued a statement to People confirming Boss’s death.
Her statement read:
It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us. 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. 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.
She finished the statement by saying, “Stephen, we love you, we miss you, and I will always save the last dance for you.”
Then on December 21, Holker broke her silence on social media to post a photo of herself and Boss leaning against one another and wrote, “My ONE and ONLY. Oh, how my heart aches. We miss you so much.”
Holker was a pro on “Dancing With the Stars” for four seasons and she and Boss actually performed together on the show ahead of when she became a pro partner. In the comments on her post, the “Dancing With the Stars” family tried to convey how much they are holding her in their hearts with comments of love and support.
“Send you and your family so much love and light,” wrote pro Cheryl Burke.
“We love you, Allison,” wrote pro Sharna Burgess.
Pro Lindsay Arnold added, “Sending love to you, Allison.”
“We love you, Ally. We all have you,” wrote pro-turned-judge Derek Hough.
Mirrorball champ Kaitlyn Bristowe wrote, “You and your family are on my mind and heart every single day.”
Boss & Holker Were Working on Multiple Projects at the Time of His Death
According to Deadline, Boss and Holker, who just celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary on December 10, were working on several projects together when Boss died.
Deadline reports that the couple was developing their own show for HGTV called “Living the Dream,” which would help first-time homebuyers find their dream home. They were also going to be overseeing the construction of a real-life Malibu Barbie Dream House. A home in Santa Clarita had been chosen for the project and the show was set to start filming in January 2023.
Holker was the host and Boss was a guest judge for HGTV’s “Design Star: Next Gen,” and they also both appeared on the network’s show “House Party.” The two also recently starred as mom and dad in the Disney Plus holiday special “The Hip Hop Nutcracker.”
Deadline also reported that Boss and Holker were looking into launching a dancing competition show, a game show and possibly their own talk show or variety show.
In a statement issued to Deadline, an HGTV spokesperson said that they are trying to figure out what to do about the shows that Boss and Holker were going to be involved in, but they are also focusing on what Holker and their family needs right now.
“We are taking the time to consider different scenarios [for the shows they had in production]. But for now, our primary focus remains on wishing our best to Allison and the entire Boss family during this difficult time,” said the HGTV spokesperson.
When news broke of Boss’s death, HGTV posted a message to Twitter that reads, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of our friend, Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss. Our hearts go out to his wife, Allison, his children, and his extended family.”
Disney Plus also posted a photo of Boss to Twitter and wrote, “Remembering our talented friend, Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, who brought so much joy to our world. Our deepest condolences to Allison, their children, and the entire Boss family.”
In fact, celebrities from all corners of the entertainment world were posting messages of shock and sadness when Boss died, including his colleagues at “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” where Boss served as in-house DJ from 2014 to the end of the show’s run in 2022.
DeGeneres herself has been posting at least one tribute to Boss every day since he died on the show’s official Instagram account, writing on one of them that she just wants to “remember all the love and laughter I had with tWitch.”
“Ellen” producer Andy Lassner posted a lengthy tribute to Instagram that read in part, “He was our flame. Our joy. Our dancer. There was a heavy burden that none of us realized he was carrying. He must have been so tired. But we didn’t know because he never wanted it to be about him. Ever.”
There has not been much in the way of news about why Boss died by suicide, only that the Los Angeles Times and TMZ both reported that law enforcement officials confirmed the presence of a note that detailed past struggles, though the law enforcement officials said it did not go into specifics.
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, dial 988 to reach the toll-free Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (dial 888-628-9454 for assistance in Spanish). You can also speak with a trained crisis counselor anytime by texting HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.