Derek Hough And Hayley Erbert Hough Deliver Tear-Jerking Dancing With The Stars Routine About Hayley’s Major Health Scare
Julianne Hough is sharing all the love for her brother, Derek, and sister-in-law, Hayley, upon Hayley’s emotional return to Dancing with the Stars.
Derek is a former DWTS pro with multiple mirrorball trophies. He now serves as a judge alongside Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli.
Hayley performed with the DWTS troupe for six seasons. Through their love of dance, Derek and Hayley fell in love with each other.
The couple married in August 2023.
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Just a few months later (in December 2023), Derek and Hayley were performing together on their Symphony of Dance Tour in Washington, D.C. Derek was onstage when he learned that Hayley was suffering a medical emergency.
“I was onstage and she was supposed to come out,” he said. “The stage manager came out and said, ‘She’s not coming on stage.’ She was on the side of the stage having full seizures and essentially dying.“
Hayley was rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered she had a cranial hematoma. In other words, blood was pooling in her skull due to a ruptured blood vessel.
She immediately underwent an emergency craniectomy. Derek recalled one doctor telling him there was a chance she wouldn’t make it.
“He said that she might not make it. And that even if she does make it, she won’t be the same person,” he said.
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But Hayley did make it, and underwent an additional skull surgery. She slowly started to recover as she reflected on the life-changing experience she went through.
Miraculously, she also started to dance again.
Hayley made her emotional return to DWTS on Tuesday (October 15). She and Derek performed a tear-jerking routine inspired by her health scare. The dance was set to the moving Benson Boone song, “Beautiful Things.”
There surely wasn’t a dry eye in the room when Derek and Hayley finished dancing.
Julianne Hough Shares Her Support For Derek And Hayley
Derek’s sister, Julianne Hough, is also a former DWTS pro (and champion). She now serves as one of the show’s co-hosts. So, she was present when Derek and Hayley performed their emotional routine.
Following the show, Julianne took to social media to share her love for her brother and sister-in-law. Alongside several photos taken that evening, she wrote:
“Derek & Hayley, you both were magnificent in your performance but what’s even more remarkable to watch is your unwavering love for each other and determination to rise up above all odds and show us what is possible. I love you so much.”
Derek commented in response, “Love you so much Sis.” See Julianne’s post below.
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Derek and Hayley plan to share more of their story in an upcoming documentary, although an exact release date is unknown.
If you haven’t had the chance to see Derek and Hayley’s routine yet, you can watch it in the video below. It was a beautiful showcase of their love after everything they’ve been through in the past year.