Allison Holker Reflects on Husband Stephen 'tWitch' Boss' Mental Health Struggle
In her first interview since the beloved entertainer's passing last winter, Allison Holker opened up about her late husband, Stephen "tWitch" Boss, and what she described as his well-hidden mental health struggle.
"No one had any inkling that he was low. He didn't want people to know," Holker shared with People. "He just wanted to be everyone's Superman and protector."
Before his unexpected death in Dec. 2022, she recalled how he would hold her back every time she walked past him and how much of a light-hearted spirit he was at home.
"We'd have so many random conversations, and there was so much laughter," Holker, 35, told the outlet. "Our love was so real and so loud. We always told people our house was like a choreographed dance."
The two met in 2010 when they appeared as All-Stars on Fox's competition series So You Think You Can Dance and said "I do" three years later. Around the same time as their wedding, Boss adopted Weslie, Holker's now 14-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.
In 2016, the couple expanded their family with the addition of their son Maddox, and three years later, they welcomed daughter Zaia.
Related: Stephen 'tWitch' Boss' Wife Allison Holker Sends Uplifting Message to Their Kids in His Absence
"Stephen brought so much joy to this world, and he deserves to be remembered as the beautiful man he was," she continued.
To honor his legacy, Holker launched the Move with Kindness Foundation to help support mental health initiatives. "If I'm honest, when this happened I was really confused with what my new purpose was going to be," she said, admitting a conversation with Andy Grammer helped her realize that her "life's purpose" never changed—it just looks a bit different now.
"We always hear, 'Reach out to the strongest people,' and I believe in that. But I also want the messaging to be that if you're feeling low or depressed, it's okay to lean on someone else," she said. "Trust that people are still going to see you as that light, even in your darkest moments."
Since losing her husband, "I've had so many people—specifically men—reaching out to me, [saying] how they were so affected because they didn't realize how much they were holding on to and not expressing," she confessed. "I found that to be a lot to hold on to at first, but then I realized I want people to feel safe talking to me and to open up and understand that we have to support each other in these moments."
If you or someone you know may be experiencing a mental health crisis or contemplating suicide, call or text 988—resources are available to help. In emergencies, call 911, or seek care from a local hospital or mental health provider.