Ellen DeGeneres and more share tributes to Stephen "tWitch" Boss

Family, friends, and fans alike are mourning the loss of Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the dancer and television personality who first rose to fame as a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance. News broke on Wednesday that Boss had died by suicide at the age of 40 years old, leading to an outpouring of tributes from admirers and co-workers, including those from his time as DJ and co-executive producer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

“I’m heartbroken,” Ellen DeGeneres herself shared 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.”

“To my beloved friend, confidant, and brother… God knows, my heart is at a standstill because I have never known a friend like you. No words, dance, or show can adequately capture just how magnificent your existence was to this world and me,” wrote fellow Ellen alum Kalen Allen in a lengthy Twitter tribute. “In a world where it was easy to get lost in the shadows, I am grateful that we always saw each other. We were each other’s number one fan and often the light in each other’s darkest hours. I am very sorry that the darkness found a voice this time and became too loud.”

Tributes also came from fans of SYTYCD, many of whom posted some of his notable performances on the show.

He was also remembered in tributes from colleagues on the series, where he had recently been elevated from All Star contestant to judge alongside JoJo Siwa and Leah Remini. “We will always remember Stephen “tWitch” Boss for the light and joy he brought into our lives and into the hearts of so many. We grieve alongside his family, loved ones and fans. tWitch, we will miss you dearly,” the FOX series said in a statement on its Twitter page.

“twitch was a best friend and a mentor not just to me but to SO many,” Siwa wrote in part in her Instagram memorial. “I’ll never forget our time getting to work together on SYTYCD, he became such a light in my life. Someone I’ve looked up to since I was born turned one of my best friends. Twitch always had the best advice. We had SO many laughs, smiles, and even cries together. I know you’re in a better place now but man we are all gonna miss the hell outta you.”

“tWitch was always so kind to me and everyone who worked so hard behind the scenes. tWitch was the guy who played and interacted with his fans in the audience during commercial breaks, and he encouraged all the contestants when the cameras weren’t rolling,” Remini wrote on her own Instagram. “He had such a passion and love for dance and guiding artists and the contestants on the show. tWitch adored his wife, Allison, and their three kids more than anything. He would talk about them all the time with such pride. He had a laugh and smile that lit up the whole room. Rest easy, tWitch; you will leave a big hole in many hearts.”

Scroll on for more tributes to the beloved dancer.