Ellen DeGeneres has said the best way for people to honour her late co-star and friend Stephen “tWitch” Boss is to “do the things that he loved” and “let people know we are there for them”.
In a video posted to Instagram on Friday, the US talk show host became emotional as she admitted it has been “really tough for everyone” since the dancer and DJ died last week at the age of 40.
tWitch featured on Ellen’s show for many years as her DJ, and was also a former contestant on So You Think You Can Dance.
Multiple US outlets reported that tWitch died by suicide, citing the LA County Medical Examiner.
In the video, Ellen told her followers: “I just wanted to say the past 11 days have been really tough for everyone.
“Everyone is in pain and trying to make sense of it and we’ll never make sense of it. And the holidays are hard, I think, anyway.
“But to honour tWitch, I think the best thing that we can do is to laugh and hug each other and play games and dance and sing. That’s the way we honour him, is we do the things that he loved to do, which is dancing, he loved music, he loved games, so we do that.”
She continued: “And I know it seems hard, it seems impossible, but that’s how we honour him and hug each other and tell each other we love each other and let people know we are there for them and check in on people.”
Ellen added that she knows it is “not a happy holiday” this year, but wanted others to think about tWitch at this time and to “send love to one another”.
Following the news of tWitch’s death, which was confirmed by his wife Allison Holker Boss on Wednesday, figures from the world of entertainment paid tribute, including Ellen.
At the time, she said she was “heartbroken” and described her late friend as “pure love and light”.
Jennifer Lopez, Questlove and Michelle Obama were also among those who remembered the US dancer and DJ, with Lopez calling him a “beautiful soul”.
tWitch is survived by his wife and three children Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia.
Help and support:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
- CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
- The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
- Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.