This post includes mention of suicide that may be distressing to some readers.

Earlier this month, it was announced that Stephen 'tWitch' Boss, the beloved "dancing DJ" onThe Ellen DeGeneres Showand former contestant onSo You Think You Can Dance, has passed away.

His wife, Allison Holker Boss, confirmed the news in a statement to People. He was 40.

"It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us," she told the publication.

"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."

According to a report published by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, he died by suicide.

Boss was best known for starring onThe Ellen DeGeneres Show, prominently appearing alongside the television host as the show's "dancing DJ". He was also a co-executive producer.

DeGeneres shared a statement following the announcement of his death, sending love to Allison Holker Boss and their three children, calling Boss "her family".

"I’m heartbroken," she wrote on Twitter.

"tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him.

"Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children - Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia."

I’m heartbroken. tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart. I will miss him. Please send your love and support to Allison and his beautiful children - Weslie, Maddox, and Zaia. pic.twitter.com/lW8Q5HZonx

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow)

The TV show host has shared a number of memories of her former colleague, but none more emotional than the clip posted earlier this week.

"The past 11 days have been really tough for everyone. Everyone is in pain and trying to make sense of it," she said. "We [may] 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, play games and dance and sing. That’s the way we honour him."

She continued: "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... Happy holidays, everybody. I know it’s not a happy holiday. But he was pure light... If you didn’t know him, you saw it. Let’s honour him and think about him and send love to one another."

Before landing the spot onEllenin 2014, Boss started out as a dancer.

He competed on shows like MTV'sThe Wade Robson ProjectandStar Search, appeared as a dancer in films includingBlades of GloryandHairsprayand competed in season four ofSo You Think You Can Dancein 2008, where he came second.

In 2010, Boss returned for the all-star season, and so did Allison Holker.

Also a dancer, Holker competed on the show's second season in 2006.

She and Boss started dating soon after their season together wrapped, and got married in 2013 atSo You Think You Can Dancecreator Nigel Lythgoe's winery in California.

The following year, Boss was hired to be onEllen, and later appeared in films includingStomp The Yard: Homecoming,Step Up 3DandMagic Mike XXL.

He held his role onThe Ellen DeGeneres Showright up until the series was discontinued earlier this year.

Together the couple co-hostedDisney’s Fairy Tale Weddingsand co-founded the dance app, CLI Studios. Boss' final role was in the 2022 Disney+ specialThe Hip Hop Nutcrackerwith Holker.

The couple have three children together.

Boss adopted Holker's daughter, Weslie, from a previous relationship, and the pair welcomed a son, Maddox, in 2016, and a daughter, Zaia, in 2019.

When appearing on The Jennifer Hudson Show in November, they shared that they were considering adding to their family.

When Hudson asked the couple if they miss having a newborn in the house, Holker replied, "I sure do. I think we'd love to start trying for another one."

Boss agreed, adding: "I love little babies, I love them. It’s a constant conversation."

Boss and Holker grew a mass following on TikTok during the pandemic - making videos of them dancing with their children, trying out new trends, and starting a workout class, the Boss Family Workout.