Newest DWTS Pro ‘Trying to Process’ Devastating News

Koko Iwasaki and Vinny Guadagnino.

ABC Koko Iwasaki mourns the loss of Stephen "tWitch" Boss.

The newest “Dancing With the Stars” pro to join the show is mourning an unimaginable loss. Koko Iwasaki, who competed on “So You Think You Can Dance,” shared a couple of posts about her dear friend and colleague, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, who died by suicide on December 14, 2022.

Iwasaki has known Boss for many years and was absolutely gutted to hear that he had died. She took to her Instagram Stories to share a photo of Boss and wrote a caption about him. She started off with a broken heart emoji.

“I’ve been trying to process and find the words but I can’t. Twitch was the light in every room he walked into. I would watch him go out of his way to say hi to every single person and his kindness was immeasurable,” Iwasaki wrote. “His heart was made of pure gold and he just had the ability to make everyone feel special. The world hurts today and I will miss you dearly. Rest in peace twitch. I am praying for you, Allison, your babies and the family,” she added.

Here’s what you need to know:


Iwasaki Shared Additional Posts About Boss on Her Instagram Stories

Iwasaki and Boss had a special relationship. In fact, after she wrapped “So You Think You Can Dance,” finishing in second place — just as Boss did when he was on the show — he said something to her that she says she won’t ever forget.

“My heart is just so heavy,” she wrote. “I’ll never forget what he said to me when I got runner up on syt. I hold it close to my heart and I actually think about it quite often. He left an impact on so many lives and he will forever be missed. Fly high, tWitch,” she added.

Although Iwasaki didn’t share the words that Boss said to her, it’s clear that she will hold on to them dearly and she will keep that memory of him forever.

She shared a video about tWitch that was first posted by People. Iwasaki’s fiance Kiki Nyemchek also posted a tribute to Boss on his Instagram Stories.

“tWitch, a beautiful human being, gone. Rest easy man. You were someone a lot of us looked up to and an impactful person. One can only hope to make such a moves as you did. Thank you for your guidance and your presence. You will be missed dearly. RIP,” Nyemchek wrote.


Like Iwasaki, Boss’ Wife Was on SYTYCD & DWTS

Iwasaki is also hurting for Boss’ wife, Allison Holker, who she knows from “So You Think You Can Dance.” Holker was a pro on seasons 19, 20, 21, and 23. Although she never won a Mirrorball Trophy, Holker finished in second place with Riker Lynch at the end of season 20.

Iwasaki has followed a similar path to Holker, making the move to DWTS after competing on SYTYCD. Holker was on the latter show during season 2 and returned as an All-Star for seasons 7 through 11.

Boss is survived by Holker and their three young children.

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