Universally beloved dancer, actor, DJ, and executive producer Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss died by suicide at the age of 40. In the wake of his passing, millions of people have expressed the shock of seeing a human being so outwardly radiant succumbing to such internal sadness.
Those of us who live with chronic depression are never surprised when someone leaves prematurely. We know there is often zero correlation between a person’s outward appearance and their internal condition.
William Shakespeare said that all the world is a stage, and he was right.
There are numerous thespians, such as ‘tWitch’, putting on the most brilliant performances, we don’t even realize it’s all theatre—that’s how good they are. They endeavor to play the part of someone else: someone who isn’t depressed. People are more than happy to suspend disbelief in order to keep them in character; they prefer the performance to the performer.
‘tWitch’s’ deception wasn’t sinister, but survivalist in nature. He probably felt the crushing weight of his duplicity every single day while pretending not to be depressed. He was surely surrounded by people who loved, respected, and fought for him, as are many of those who ultimately lose their battles to stay. The performance became too exhausting and he tragically left the stage for good.
I didn’t personally know ‘tWitch’, but he danced his way into my heart and soul during the pandemic. He found the strength to portray the happy person we wanted him to be and he danced through the pain, until he couldn’t anymore. Gone too soon like the flowers that fade, like the dust that blows in the wind. This is the fleeting nature of life.
*If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-8255, or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.