Ellen DeGeneres honors Stephen 'tWitch' Boss with montage of memories

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.

The late Stephen "tWitch" Boss had any number of loved ones in his life before he died by suicide Dec. 13 at age 40, but few publicly championed him the way Ellen DeGeneres did.

And on Dec. 14, DeGeneres, who worked alongside her sidekick and DJ for nearly 10 years on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," posted a moving montage on Instagram of their antics on the show along with some heartfelt narration.

"Right now what I want to do is remember all the love and laughter I had with tWitch," she wrote in the caption. "He brought so much joy to my life. I know he brought joy to yours too. I’m going to be sharing some of my favorite moments with him. If you want to you can also share yours. #ILovetWitch"

In the montage, DeGeneres sits on the set of her talk show, which ended earlier this year, in a white suit while Boss is off to the side in his DJ booth. She notes that Boss "changed" her life and the show, and then invites him to sit with her. When he comes over, the audience learns his mother and best friend are in the audience.

And then she introduces the montage, which intersperses with DeGeneres' choked-up comments about Boss' importance to her. Viewers learn that DeGeneres' fandom of "So You Think You Can Dance," on which Boss appeared as a contestant in 2008, led to an introduction where he was meant to teach her to dance.

"It was like a crash course in getting to know each another. ... We just bonded over learning to dance together," she says."

The duo ended up having some wild times on DeGeneres' show, where Boss wore outrageous costumes, helped guests reenact classic dance moments, rocked hair extensions from DeGeneres and even allowed himself to get waxed onstage.

"Whenever he's not here for whatever reason, it's just different," says DeGeneres in the video.

"He's my pal; he's my sidekick. ... He really, really makes me laugh," she adds.

When the news was first announced of Boss' death, DeGeneres posted an emotional caption on Instagram, along with a photo of them sharing a hug.

“I’m heartbroken,” she wrote. “tWitch was pure love and light. He was my family, and I loved him with all my heart.”

Fellow celebrities have also been sharing their memories and feelings about Boss since the news broke.

At the end of the montage, DeGeneres notes that she and Boss would walk off the stage after every show and say "love you."

She also tells the camera in a choked voice, “He’s never going to be out of my life. He’s always a part of my life.”

DeGeneres then presents her friend with a framed black-and-white photo, taken from behind, of the cherished moment between them.

Boss also shows some emotion, particularly after being presented with the photo. "You gave me a place where I can just be myself," he explains.

"I always felt at home," Boss says.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com