“Hearing that someone who made a room so happy was suffering so severely behind closed doors is heartbreaking,” said Boss’s close friend of more than 20 years, Justin Timberlake. “tW itch has been a part of the dancing community for over 20 years, and he always brightens the place. Simply put, you can never completely understand what another person is going through.”
“Take care of one another,” he added. ” Take care of your people. During this difficult and bleak time, I’m sending light to his lovely family. We will miss you, Sir. Put your mind at ease.”
JoJo Siwa, Boss’ SYTYCD co-judge, paid poignant homage to him on Instagram, calling him “forever the world’s dancing dad.”
“My heart is completely shattered. Twitch was a mentor and greatest friend to so many others, not just myself. Throughout our time on SYTYCD, he became such a bright point in my life, and I’ll never forget that.”
“My best buddy is now someone I’ve looked up to since I was born,” Siwa wrote. “Twitch always gave the best advice. We exchanged a lot of laughs, smirks, and even tears. We’ll all miss you terribly, even though I know you’re in a better place now. I’m sending my love and prayers to His beautiful wife and their three wonderful children. I appreciate you sharing your talent with everyone. One day, I’m so happy’ to see you again (A inside joke between us that I will never let go of). Dad, the world will continue to spin indefinitely. Brother, I adore you. Stephen Twitch Boss, rest in peace.”
Dancing with the Stars pro Cheryl Burke also commented on Instagram, uploading two photos of herself with Boss. In her post, she thanked him for “always putting a smile on my face, being so happy, and motivating.”
“For @sir twitch alot, @allisonholker, and their gorgeous family, my heart breaks. Twitch, I admire your grace and positivity in representing the dancing community, but more importantly, I appreciate you as a person,” she wrote. “I’d like to thank you for always making me smile and for being so cheerful. May your soul rest in peace, my friend.”
With Boss, Channing Tatum posted an Instagram image with the caption: “Having no words, There are none. This is beyond my head and heart to fathom. Simply put, there is just too much… I’m at a loss for words. I love you. I’ll see you again, my friend.”
“This is so, really sad,” Katie Couric says. “Stephen “tWitch” Boss, a much-liked producer and DJ on the Ellen DeGeneres Show as well as a dancer who garnered prominence on So You Think You Can Dance, committed suicide,” she went on to say on Instagram. “He was in his fifties at the time.”
