Allison Holker responds to backlash over revelations about her late husband, Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss
By Lisa Respers France, CNN
(CNN) — Allison Holker has spoken out amid criticism over her decision to share personal details about her late husband Stephen “tWitch” Boss in her forthcoming memoir.
“To fans of Stephen and our family and friends, I want to be clear that my only intention in writing the book is to share my own story as well as part of my life with Stephen to help other people,” she wrote in an Instagram story posted on Wednesday. “Just like you, I never really knew what happened, and even as I am trying to put the pieces together I will never really know.”
Boss, the amiable DJ for “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and dancer who rose to fame on “So You Think You Can Dance,” died in December 2022 by suicide at age 40.
He and Holker had celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary just days prior.
Holker, who is also a dancer, told People magazine in a recently published exclusive interview that while preparing for her husband’s funeral, she discovered a “cornucopia” of drugs – including mushrooms, pills and “other substances I had to look up on my phone” hidden away among her late husband’s personal items.
“I was with one of my really dear friends, and we were cleaning out the closet and picking out an outfit for him for the funeral,” she said. “It was a really triggering moment for me because there were a lot of things I discovered in our closet that I did not know existed. It was very alarming to me to learn that there was so much happening that I had no clue (about).”
“It was a really scary moment in my life to figure that out, but it also helped me process that he was going through so much and he was hiding so much, and there must have been a lot of shame in that,” she added.
Boss’s mother, Connie Boss Alexander, posted a statement on Instagram on Thursday, writing “Our family is absolutely appalled by the misleading and hurtful claims made about my son, Stephen Boss.”
“The recent publications spreading untruths about Stephen have crossed every line of decency. As his mother, I will not let these accusations go unanswered,” she wrote. “We will not stand by while his name and legacy are tarnished. He doesn’t deserve this, and the kids don’t deserve this.”
His mother wrote that she has “remained quiet and away from the public eye to protect my family” for the past two years.
“My primary focus has been on healing and attempting to remain connected to my grandchildren,” she added. “But when I read these dreadful claims about my baby, our beloved Stephen, I realized I could not stay silent any longer. Our family will ensure his name and memory are protected, and we are committed to defending his honor.”
In the note posted on her Instagram story, Holker wrote: “If you decide to read the book, hopefully you’ll see my intention is to celebrate the love and life I shaered with Stephen and our three beautiful children, and also the more complex aspects of both of our lives.”
“I hope that by sharing our full story maybe I can help someone else who might see themselves or a loved one in Stephen,” she wrote. “In sharing I hope that maybe they can catch some of the red flags that I missed before it’s too late.”
Holker added that all of her proceeds from the book are “going to fund the mental health focused foundation I started in Stephen’s honor, Move with Kindness.”
“My hope is that we don’t need to lose another husband, brother, father or friend to suicide,” Holker wrote.
Boss and his wife were all-star dancers on Season 7 of “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2010 and connected romantically.
“We shared a dance at the wrap party of that season of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and we have been together ever since,” Boss told People months before his death.
Holker’s new memoir titled, “This Far,” is out February 4.
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