Derek Hough Gives Update After Wife Hayley Erbert’s Brain Surgery

Derek Hough said he’s feeling some “relief” while sharing an update one week after wife Hayley Erbert’s emergency brain surgery.

“As you all know, the past week has been a challenging journey for us due to a life-threatening event that suddenly came into our lives,” the Dancing With the Stars judge, 38, captioned a video via Instagram on Friday, December 15, that showed him walking around Washington, D.C. with Erbert, who was wearing a helmet. “It was a time filled with uncertainty and fear — going from living our dreams onstage to a nightmare in an instant. But today, we are filled with hope and relief as we share with you an update.”

Erbert, 29, is “doing well” after the incident, but Hough noted her recovery “has been nothing short of a miracle.”

During a December 6 performance of Hough’s “A Symphony of Dance” in Washington, D.C., Erbert was hospitalized after feeling disoriented. She was diagnosed with a cranial hematoma and underwent an emergency craniectomy.

Hough explained that his wife, whom he married on August 26, “still has a ways to go” with her recovery. She will undergo another surgery “to insert a skull implant to replace the piece that was removed during the craniectomy,” with Hough explaining, “It will restore the skull to its natural shape and protect the brain from injury.”

The choreographer went on to thank fans for the “incredible support” and gave a shout-out to Erbert’s top-notch medical team.

Related: Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert’s Relationship Timeline

Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert captivated audiences with their chemistry well before they started dating. The former Dancing With the Stars pro first connected with Erbert after she was cast as one of the dancers in his and sister Julianne Hough’s Move Live Tour in 2014. By July 2015, they were a couple. Derek played […]

“It’s been a profound reminder of how fragile life can be and how quickly things can change,” Hough wrote. “But, it has also shown us the incredible strength and resilience that lies within us and the power of having a supportive community around us.”

Although it will not be the holiday season the couple “envisioned,” they are staying “grateful,” with Hough adding, “We look forward to cherishing these moments with a deeper appreciation for life and the people in it.”