Stephen “tWitch” Boss’ mother, Connie Boss Alexander, and his brother Dre Rose have spoken out in their first interview since Allison Holker’s memoir was released on Monday, February 4. Both Connie and Dre claimed to have not known that Allison was publishing any information about Stephen’s alleged drug use.

“I think people deserve the ability to share their story. I get that. But to – how it was presented and how it was on a cover of a magazine and there was a public, you know, launch or campaign about it, we shouldn’t have to find out about that … in the media. We’re a family,” Dre said in a clip from an upcoming interview with Gayle King from CBS Mornings that’s set to air on February 11.

Shortly before Allison’s memoir, This Far: My Story of Love, Loss and Embracing the Light, hit the shelves, she claimed to have found Stephen’s journals that allegedly revealed he had been abused by a male figure as a child. However, Connie and Dre claimed they weren’t aware that these journals even existed.

When asked if either Connie or Dre “had any interest in reading the journals,” Connie said she “thinks” that she does.

“Just to feel closer to him because these are his thoughts,” the mother of the late Ellen DeGeneres Show alum continued. “Maybe get a clearer understanding … of who he was and what he was thinking from time to time.”

Dre also admitted that he wanted to read the journals for himself in their entirety.

“I think those journals will tell you a lot. I think there’s things in those journals that are good and bad, but I also believe there’s journals about his personal life, his marital life that are in there,” Dre told Gayle, 70. “I believe that there’s been a cherry-picking of things from the journal to reveal or share. And if we’re just gonna be completely honest, talk about it all.”

On January 7, Allison, 36, spoke to People and claimed that she discovered Stephen’s alleged drug addiction after he died by suicide at the age of 40 in December 2022. The former professional dancer claimed that she found a “cornucopia” of drugs in their closet.

“I was with one of my really dear friends, and we were cleaning out the closet and picking out an outfit for him for the funeral,” Allison told the publication. “It was a really triggering moment for me because there were a lot of things I discovered in our closet that I did not know existed. It was very alarming to me to learn that there was so much happening that I had no clue [about].”

She added, “It was a really scary moment in my life to figure that out, but it also helped me process that he was going through so much and he was hiding so much, and there must have been a lot of shame in that.”

However, several of Stephen’s family members and friends slammed her claims, but Allison doubled down.

“I want to be clear that my only intention in writing the book is to share my own story as well as part of my life with Stephen to help other people,” she wrote via her Instagram Stories on January 8.

The following day, Connie fired back with a message of her own.

“Our family is absolutely appalled by the misleading and hurtful claims made about my son, Stephen Boss. The recent publications spreading untruths about Stephen have crossed every line of decency. As his mother, I will not let these accusations go unanswered. We will not stand by while his name and legacy are tarnished. He doesn’t deserve this, and the kids don’t deserve this,” Connie wrote via Instagram on January 9.

She continued, “For the last two years, I have remained quiet and away from the public eye to protect my family. My primary focus has been on healing and attempting to remain connected to my grandchildren. But when I read these dreadful claims about my baby, our beloved Stephen, I realized I could not stay silent any longer. Our family will ensure his name and memory are protected, and we are committed to defending his honor.”