The mother of the late Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, Connie Boss Alexander, condemns the recent interview by the late dancer’s widow, Allison Holker, that revealed private details surrounding his personal struggles.
On Thursday, Jan. 9, in a lengthy Instagram post, Alexander spoke out against allegations Holker made about Boss in a story published on Jan. 7 by People magazine. Others who have spoken out to condemn the interview took particular issue with claims Boss was abusing substances at the time of his death.
“Our family is absolutely appalled by the misleading and hurtful claims made about my son, Stephen Boss,” Alexander began in the post.
“The recent publications spreading untruths about Stephen have crossed every line of decency,” the post continued. “As his mother, I will not let these accusations go unanswered. We will not stand by while his name and legacy are tarnished.”
She added, “He doesn’t deserve this, and the kids don’t deserve this.”
Alexander noted that she had remained “quiet and away from the public eye” over the last two years to protect her family. However, she couldn’t stay silent “any longer” as the “dreadful claims” about her son continued.
She closed the post by saying her family intends to “ensure” his name and legacy are protected.
“We are committed to defending his honor,” she wrote.
Boss died by suicide in December 2022 at the age of 40. At the time of his death he and Holker, who met through their work in the professional dance industry, had been married for nine years. The couple shared three children, two Boss fathered with Holker and her daughter from a prior relationship.
In People’s cover story, in which the 36-year-old widow announced her forthcoming memoir “This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light,” Holker claimed she found a “cornucopia” of drugs in Boss’ shoeboxes while looking for an outfit for his funeral. She went on to say after reading through his private journals, she discovered he may have experienced a difficult childhood that potentially included sexual abuse.
Many of the couple’s peers in the dance industry were quick to call out the article, including Courtney Ann Platt, whose long defense of Boss on Instagram was reposted by the late dancer’s brother.
In addition to calling the article “tacky,” “classless,” and “opportunistic,” Platt also claimed Holker has mistreated Boss’ loved ones, including forcing his friends and family, including his mother, to sign NDAs to attend his funeral, a detail that was neither confirmed or denied by his mother in her statement.
“Let my friend Rest in Peace not your PR,” Platt concluded.
In a statement posted to her Instagram stories, Holker responded to the backlash, writing that her “only intention” in writing her book was to share her own story and part of her life with her late husband in order to help others.
“My hope is that we don’t need to lose another husband, brother, father or friend to suicide,” she wrote, adding, “I believe that if Stephen were able to choose, he would choose to have his story told if it meant saving even one life. Much love to all those who supported our family these many years.”
