On December 13, Allison Holker Boss was forced to say goodbye to her husband, Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, after he died by suicide. It’s a day that left her with a whirlwind of complex emotions and one that she’ll remember for the rest of her life.
The couple initially met in 2006, but things started to heat up when they were cast as ‘All-Stars’ in Season 7 of So You Think You Can Dance in 2010. While they barely spoke to one another during the season, they eventually started to hit it off at the season wrap party – and when they did, sparks started flying.
It wasn’t long before they were a couple and they made their red carpet debut in 2012. They got engaged in June 2013 after appearing on Dancing With the Stars together and tied the knot on December 10, 2013. They share three children together – one of which is Allison’s from a previous relationship.
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His death came just three days after the couple celebrated their nine-year wedding anniversary – which added to the strong mix of emotions for Allison Holker Boss. Now nearly five months later, Allison is opening up to PEOPLE magazine in her first interview since her late husband’s death on December 13.
“No one had any inkling that he was low. He didn’t want people to know. He just wanted to be everyone’s Superman and protector,” Allison, 35, said as she remembered the beautiful life they built together. “[He] brought so much joy to this world, and he deserves to be remembered as the beautiful man he was.”
And while they accomplished so much together as a couple, it’s the little moments that she says meant the most to her – the conversations they had as they cooked together, how he would always ‘hold my back’ as she walked past him, and the laughter they shared with their children at the dining table.
“Our love was so real and so loud. We always told people our house was like a choreographed dance,” she added. And while she has yet to dance since losing her life partner, Allison Holker Boss dreams of the day she works up the courage to dance again. “I know that I’ll get there. He’s guiding me on this path.”
Allison Holker Boss Has Found New Purpose in Life
One of the biggest struggles of losing her husband was finding a new purpose in life. It took some time, but Allison Holker Boss found it when she launched the Move with Kindness Foundation – an organization that ‘aims to carry on the legacy of Stephen tWitch Boss by spreading love and mental health awareness.’
“We always hear, ‘Reach out to the strongest people,’ and I believe in that. But I also want the messaging to be that if you’re feeling low or depressed, it’s okay to lean on someone else. Trust that people are still going to see you as that light even in your darkest moments,” Allison said of the foundation’s purpose.
Instead of taking herself to a dark place with the loss of her husband, she’s choosing a different route for herself and her three children – one filled with love and positivity, which is exactly what tWitch would want. She wants her children to learn the importance of honest communication, self love, and mental health.
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“I’m trying to teach them — and myself — that if you’re angry or sad, it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person. We’re coping together, and that requires trust and being really vulnerable,” she tells PEOPLE – adding that she views her home as a sanctuary for all the memories and laughter she shared with her husband.