Earlier this week, the entertainment world was rocked by the news that Stephen "tWitch" Boss - a much-loved dancer, actor, presenter, and DJ - had died.
His wife, Alison Holker Boss, confirmed that he had died at age 40 on Wednesday, after the Disney+ star passed away at the Oak Inn Tree hotel in Los Angeles.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” Holker Boss said in a statement. “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."
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner has since confirmed Boss' cause of death as suicide.
Boss featured prominently on the US hit series So You Think You Can Dance? from 2008, where he made it to the final and later went on to judge the series. He also featured heavily in dance-related films such as Step Up and Magic Mike XXL - but despite all of these amazing roles, many fans lovingly knew the star simply by his nickname, tWitch.
And, as it turns out, he got the nickname from an old car he used to own.
In a 2013 interview with AL.com, Boss explained that when he was 20 years old, "tWitch" was what he had previously called his 1992 Toyota Paseo, which he described as "super raggedy" because it often accelerated on its own.
“That was when I first started dancing, going places and teaching dance,” he recalled. “And a lot of my dance knowledge and a lot of my dance thoughts took place in that car.
“Driving from place to place. Whether it was to Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Bessemer, Birmingham, whatever. I'd choreograph in the car.”
After his death was announced, his wife Allison released a statement exclusively to PEOPLE.
“To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt," she said. “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.”
The couple frequently collaborated together with projects, releasing an athletic leisure clothing line called ‘DSG x tWitch + Allison Collection, as well as co-hosting a TV series for Disney’s Fairytale Weddings.
Alongside his dance career, Boss became a regular fixture of the Ellen Degeneres Show as a DJ before becoming an executive producer of the show in 2020.
He is survived by his three children with three-year-old Zaia, Maddox aged six and his 14-year-old daughter Weslie.
Our thoughts continue to go out to Boss' family, friends, and fans at this time.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out for help and contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.