The family of the late Stephen "tWitch" Boss is grappling with unresolved tensions nearly two years after his tragic death, particularly surrounding the handling of his estate and the use of nondisclosure agreements at his funeral. Reports have surfaced indicating friction between Boss's widow, Allison Holker, and his family, with allegations of manipulation and financial mismanagement complicatiing their mourning.
Boss, who gained fame as a dancer and actor, died by suicide at the age of 40 on December 13, 2022, shortly after celebrating his ninth wedding anniversary with Holker. Since then, Holker has opened up about the difficulties she has faced, claiming not only emotional turmoil but also substantial financial debt left by her late husband.
According to recent statements made by Holker, detailed in her memoir This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light, Boss’s financial legacy was far from what many might assume. "It’s a misconception," she wrote. "He had inherited luxury but gave away substantial sums of money to family and friends and spent recklessly on drugs and his weird art collections. The tax bill he left me with for the year he died was $1 million.”
Many family members and friends have expressed frustrations over the NDAs Holker requested attendees to sign before the funeral. Allegations surfaced through social media from fellow dancer Courtney Platt, who claimed, "We all had to sign some weird NDA to attend his funeral — even his own mother who you’ve treated like garbage this entire time." Platt's comments ignited considerable backlash and added to the discourse surrounding Holker’s decisions as she navigated the aftermath of tWitch's death.
Holker's daughter, Weslie, has publicly defended her mother, stating the NDAs were necessary for privacy during such a sensitive time. "But God forbid somebody took a photo of Stephen and put it on the internet or shared it with somebody else," Weslie noted, emphasizing the importance of respecting their grieving process. According to Weslie, the intention behind requiring NDAS was not to silence or diminish anyone's bond with Boss but rather to protect the sanctity of the event.
The funeral day, according to Weslie, was overshadowed by bickering and family disputes, which she lamented. "That whole day was supposed to be beautiful, and instead, it was less than," she explained, emphasizing how such conflicts detracted from saying goodbye to their loved one.
Holker also faced criticism for writing candidly about her husband’s struggles with addiction and mental health issues within her memoir. Some family members decried her openness, accusing her of exploiting his death and experiences for profit. Weslie dismissed these claims, asserting, "That’s not how my mom is. Trust me when I say my mom is good — she doesn’t need money.”
Adding to the turbulence, Holker has revealed the scope of the financial chaos left by Boss’s death, which she described as both overwhelming and debilitating. "I’m still jumping through endless bureaucratic hoops because Stephen didn’t leave a will," she lamented. Detailed discussions within her book outline her trying to untangle debts owed and bills due, realizing she has to pick up the pieces of not only her grief but also Boss's financial neglect.
"I had been under the impression things were working fine. He managed his income, and I managed mine. Easy-peasy. Or so I thought," she wrote. Holker now finds herself alone, tending to bills for homeowner’s insurance and car payments, which were neglected by Boss. This unexpected burden added to her challenges as she strives to honor his memory amid the mess left behind.
Despite the challenges, Holker asserts her intentions are rooted not just in self-preservation but also highlighting broader issues such as mental health and substance abuse. She contemplates how these discussions can potentially serve to inform others about the dangers surrounding addiction, indicating her drive to use her platform for positive awareness and change.
Looking back, Holker carries the dual pain of loss and financial burden, with every day demanding more resilience than the last. "I’d like to believe it would have made any difference," Holker mused, pondering how her husband’s choices might have changed had he foreseen the burden she would inherit. Stepping forward, she remains determined to emerge from this grief with hope and renewed perspective, vowing to turn his legacy to generative conversations about health and familial support.
Indeed, the path forward navigates both sorrow and strength, as Holker faces not only the memories of her husband and the legacy he leaves but the intense dynamics of family conflict exacerbated by grief. Support remains integral to healing, especially within the difficult realms of loss, mental health, and personal accountability. The tensions within the Boss family signal a cautious reminder of the fragility of relationships, particularly when confronted with such seismic life changes like death.