Derek Hough praises wife Hayley Erbert for ‘Dancing with the Stars’ return after surgery

Washington [US], October 16 (ANI): American dancer and choreographer Derek Hough praised his wife Hayley Erbert for making ‘Dancing with the Stars’ return after her craniectomy in December 2023, reported People.

Erbert Hough was joined by her husband and DWTS judge Derek Hough for her first time back in the ballroom. They danced to Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” on “Dedication” night.

Before the couple took the stage, Hough recalled the day when the couple were on the final leg of their Symphony of Dance tour after wrapping season 32 of DWTS.

“I was on stage, and she’s supposed to come out,” he said.

“The stage manager walked out and just said, ‘Hey, she’s not coming on stage.’ She was on the side of the stage having full seizures and, essentially, dying. It’s really hard to even put into words other than just pure fear,” he added.

“We rush her to the hospital, she’s still in her costume, and the doctor came to me and he said that, ‘She has a severe brain bleed, so we have to operate right now,'”

Hough continued. “He said that she might not make it and that even if she does make it, she won’t be the same person.”

Hough recalled the moment when Erbert Hough woke up. “She goes, ‘What happened? Weren’t we just dancing?'” Hough said. “I can’t even tell you, just knowing that she was there, she was in there, the relief I felt. She was Hayley. She was my wife. And then the journey began.”

Later, he talked about her recovery and Hough said, “I was struggling”, while praising her, he added, “”I was just so impressed by her strength. She’s my beautiful miracle.”

Erbert Hough shared that medical professionals told her that they were not sure if she would be able to walk.

She said as a “stubborn” person she “pushed herself to the limit” to not only walk but dance again.

The two hit the dance floor together in an emotional performance, reported People.