We’ve all become accustomed to seeing more mustaches in the later months of the year, thanks to the many men who choose to be a part of the Movember movement that raises awareness of men’s health issues. One of those issues is mental health, and that was a big part of why Dancing with the Stars alums (and real-life partners) Sharna Burgess and Brian Austin Green joined forces with Movember. They could never have known how personal the cause would become, as tragedy hit their own community this month with the suicide of Stephen “tWitch” Boss.
Sharna Burgess posted a video to Instagram in which she and Brian Austin Green addressed mental health, acknowledging that the holidays can be a challenging time of the year for people, especially those dealing with the death of or separation from loved ones, illness or financial hardship. She made reference to their own personal loss, as So You Think You Can Dance contestant-turned-judge tWitch was found dead December 14 at age 40. Burgess said in the caption:
I never thought we would be mourning the loss of of one of the most beautiful and bright lights in our industry and community. Our passion to spread awareness has become even more personal to us in light of these tragic events.
Stephen Boss and his wife Allison Holker, who appeared on both So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars, often shared videos of themselves dancing together, with friends and their children. Boss’ death hit the entertainment world hard, and Brian Austin Green said in Sharna Burgess' post that it can be especially hard for men to ask for help, because they’ve been conditioned to not talk about their feelings. He said:
Now, I know for us guys, sometimes it’s hard to ask for help. We feel like we need to be the provider/protector at all times. But, we’re also human beings and I feel like the bravest thing that we can do sometimes is to ask for help.
The couple said that those who are in pain are not alone, and many people can understand what they’re going through and are ready to help. They encouraged people to talk openly about mental health and self-care this season, they also explained people should be sure to check in on loved ones. You can see their full message below:
Stephen “tWitch” Boss, who was well-known to fans as a dancer and the DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound December 14, at a motel less than a mile from his house. Authorities said he left a suicide note. His wife Allison Holker returned to social media a week after the tragedy to express how much she misses her husband, who also left behind their three children: Weslie, 14, Maddox, 6, and Zaia, 3.
We at CinemaBlend continue to send our thoughts and condolences to the family, friends, and anyone whose life was touched by Stephen "tWitch" Boss.
If you or someone you know are having thoughts of self-harm, please, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
