Justin Timberlake is mourning the loss of a close friend.
It’s a loss he absolutely did not see coming, either.
On Wednesday, we learned that Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, a former runner-up on So You Think You Can Dance and the in-house DJ for years on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, had been found dead a day prior.
He was only 40 years old.
We’ve since learned that Boss took his own life.
In response, numerous celebrities have used their social media platforms to pay tribute to the beloved dancer and musician — but Timberlake’s Twitter post on December 14th has especially stood out due to its candor and emotion.
“It’s heartbreaking to hear that someone who brought so much joy to a room, was hurting so much behind closed doors,” the artist wrote.
“I’ve known Twitch for over 20 years through the dance community—he always lit everything up.
“You just never know what someone is really going through.”
In a follow-up message, the singer shared two photos of tWitch doing what he loved so very much: dancing.
The first snapshot is of the DJ lifting a woman over his head on the set of the talk show.
The second is a solo picture of the So You Think You Can Dance alum with him balancing on the tips of his toes.
“Take care of yourselves,” Timberlake added.
“LOVE that human in the mirror. Check on your people. Sending light to his beautiful family in this dark, confusing time. You will be missed, Sir. Rest Easy.”
tWitch leaves behind his wife, fellow dancer Allison Holker, and their three kids Weslie, 14; Maddox, 6; and Zaia, 3.
It was Holker who confirmed the tragic news of her husband’s passing in a statement yesterday to People Magazine.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” she said.
“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.”
Boss competed on MTV’s The Wade Robson Project and Star Search in 2003 and later finished second on So You Think You Can Dance in 2008.
He returned to the dance series in 2010 for the All-Star season, where he formed a connection with fellow competitor Holker.
In 2014, Boss kicked off his role as DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, becoming a co-executive producer in 2020 and continuing those duties until the program wrapped up in 2022.
“To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt,” Allison continued in her message on Wednesday.
“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.”
She concluded:
“Stephen, we love you, we miss you, and I will always save the last dance for you.”