Everything Stephen 'tWitch' Boss Said About Parenting His 3 Kids: 'My Favorite Earthly Assignment'
Stephen "tWitch" Boss was a family man first and foremost.
The former Ellen Degeneres Show DJ died by suicide at age 40, his wife of nine years, Allison Holker Boss, confirmed to PEOPLE on Dec. 14. "He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans," she shared in a statement.
Boss and Holker Boss shared three children: Weslie Renae, 14, Maddox Laurel, 6, and Zaia, 3. The couple first met in 2010 on So You Think You Can Dance and married three years later. Holker Boss was already mom to daughter Weslie, whom Boss adopted. The couple welcomed their first son together, Maddox, in 2016, followed by daughter Zaia in 2019.
Stephen "tWitch" Boss Instagram
A few weeks before Boss' death, the parents of three appeared on Jennifer Hudson's eponymous talk show and spoke about the possibility of having more kids. "I think we would love to start trying for another one," said Holker Boss.
Boss agreed, saying, "We do. I love the little babies, I love them. It's a constant conversation."
On Father Day's in 2022, he wrote on Instagram that "being dad is my favorite earthly assignment."
Allison Holker Instagram
Here's everything to know about Stephen "tWitch" Boss' three kids.
Weslie Renae Fowler, 14
Allison Holker Instagram
Holker Boss welcomed daughter Weslie Renae on May 26, 2008, with a previous partner. Boss later adopted Weslie and the two share a special bond.
She is currently a high school freshman and went to her first homecoming dance earlier this year. "She's so cool. She's such a good kid. She's so respectful," Holker Boss told Jennifer Hudson of her daughter in November 2022.
Weslie also grew up playing soccer and joined her high school's team this past fall. In an Instagram post celebrating Title IX's 50th anniversary, Weslie shared a few photos of her on the soccer field and wrote, "Soccer is where I can channel my focus in something I truly love and form bonds that last a lifetime."
Off the field, she has also joined her parents at red carpet premieres and events. In October 2022, she attended the premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever with her mom and dad.
Like many kids her age, Weslie is also active on social media (though her Instagram is managed by her parents). In 2020 — when she was just 12 years old — Weslie responded to a user who asked why she "dresses like a boy" with a TikTok, saying, "Patriarchy is dead. Just because I don't wear dresses and bright pink doesn't mean I'm dressing like a boy."
She continued her response with, "This is my style. I wear comfy clothes and darker colors and just because I dress like that doesn't mean I'm dressing like a boy and it doesn't mean that boys or girls are defined by certain things because of their gender. It doesn't mean anything and just because you can't open your eyes doesn't mean I'm about to change."
Allison Holker Instagram
Holker Boss later praised Weslie for sticking up for herself. The proud mom opened up to PEOPLE about the incident, explaining, "What we taught her is by you addressing it, it almost releases it from you. You don't have to hold on to those negative comments."
She added, "We didn't tell her to make that video, that was of her own accord, but what we have told her is, 'Are you addressing it? You don't have to hold onto that pain anymore.' And hopefully that person sees it and realizes, 'Oh, wow, maybe I should look in on myself.' "
The high school student isn't afraid to speak about other social causes either. When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in July 2022, Weslie joined her mother for an Instagram video where they listed all the things a 14-year-old girl wasn't allowed to do as a U.S. citizen. The video concluded by asking how, if she were to get pregnant, would she be able to take care of a baby if she is not "legally able to independently to take care of herself" at that age.
Maddox Laurel Boss, 6
Stephen "tWitch" Boss Instagram
On March 27, 2016, Boss and Holker Boss welcomed son Maddox Laurel. He was born on Easter Sunday and the new parents told PEOPLE in a statement at the time that the birth "was truly an unforgettable moment."
As an infant, Maddox was already showing that he had inherited his parents' dancing genes. "Our baby dances every night," Holker Boss told PEOPLE a few months after his birth. "He's already a popper. He loves hip-hop music. He jams out every single night. It's incredible. We actually had our baby to the song 'Push It' by Salt-N-Pepa, so he's musically inclined, and he's got a lot of rhythm."
And as the years have passed, Maddox has participated in plenty of Boss family dance parties. In August 2022, he even joined his parents at the season finale of So You Think You Can Dance — the very show where Boss and Holker Boss first met. Following the finale, Holker Boss shared photos of their family outing on Instagram, writing in part, "This show just means the world to us!! It feels like home!! And now bringing our son Maddox to see was just perfect!!!"
Stephen "tWitch" Boss Instagram
The same month, Maddox started first grade. Boss marked his son's first day of school on Instagram, writing, "First day First grade!! The time is going by too fast but little Boss you are taking the world by storm. Go get em mane!!! We love you Maddox."
In September, Holker Boss opened up about the back-to-school season in the Boss household, calling it "beautiful chaos." She continued, "Our kids are thriving. They're so excited to be back in school, back into their sports and activities. There's a lot of excitement and nerves, but as a parent, it's so rewarding, you watch [your kids] go through all of the emotions. It's been a really cool time."
Zaia Boss, 3
Stephen "tWitch" Boss Instagram
The Boss crew became a family of five with the arrival of daughter Zaia in November 2019.
Boss and Holker Boss' older children adjusted to Zaia's arrival well, with the DJ telling PEOPLE in 2020, "Weslie's always just been the best big sister, even with Maddox before. It's like having a built-in babysitter. And with her new sister, she's also eager to help. Very, very helpful. And Maddox is really excited."
When Zaia was just 16 months old, however, she ended up in a leg cast after "going down a slide in the park." Holker Boss told PEOPLE about the accident, "They said she's so little that [they'd] cast her up just to be sure. So it was only a couple of weeks, but either way, it's really sad. We see this tiny little baby in a cast, but it's also kind of cute, in a weird way."
Allison Holker Instagram
To celebrate Zaia's 2nd birthday in 2021, Boss penned a heartfelt tribute to his little girl on Instagram, writing, "Happy birthday Zaia!!! This little Boss princess is 2 years old today and already making her mark on the world and our hearts. My sweetpea, you are truly one of a kind. With each day that goes by, you astonish and inspire us………and demand that Elmo always be on the TV. IG FAM please help me wish Baby Z a happy birthday."
Just ahead of her 3rd birthday in 2022, Zaia and her family dressed up as the Addams Family for Halloween. Mom and Dad fittingly took on the roles of Morticia and Gomez, while Weslie and Maddox transformed into Wednesday and Pugsley, respectively. As for Zaia? She turned into the most adorable Pubert — mustache and all.
