Season 33 of Dancing with the Stars is on fire. We’ve had controversial contestants. (Shout out to Anna Delvey!) And a crop of competitors who are delivering great performances. At this point, the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy could be going home with almost anyone. Of course, judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli are there to give critiques and praise to the contestants. During the most recent episode of DWTS, they popped into the dancing duos’ rehearsals to share their advice.
However, during “Dedication Night,” something magical and amazing happened. Fans saw Derek and his wife, Hayley Erbert Hough, dance together in the ballroom for the first time since a medical emergency nearly took her life. For the newlyweds, their lives flipped upside down. And it was a terrifying reminder of how fragile, and fleeting, life can be.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the ballroom when Derek and Hayley danced. And I will admit to sobbing at home. Here’s why Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert Hough’s return to DWTS was so emotional.
Derek and Hayley’s love story
Derek and Hayley met on Derek and his sister Julianne Hough’s Move Live Tour in 2014. Fittingly, they met while dancing on the show. After seven years, Derek proposed to Hayley, and she happily accepted.
In August 2023, the couple tied the knot in Monterey County, California. And the celebration went on for days! First up was a welcome party at a cliffside estate in Carmel on Thursday. That was followed by the rehearsal dinner the next day.
During their ceremony, the couple exchanged both personal and traditional vows. The setting? A beautiful redwood forest. “We’re in a redwood forest, but we got married right in front of this mother tree that’s surrounded by all these smaller trees,” Hayley said. “We’re here, planting our seeds to grow our family.”
The wedding reception was held in a century-old barn. The 106 guests dined on steak, salmon, and vegetarian dishes. Plus, for their cake, Derek and Hayley chose a lavender and huckleberry-flavored confection.
Of course, the couple danced on a mirrored dance floor. Their first dance as man and wife was to Fall Into Me by Forrest Blakk. Many familiar faces from DWTS were there. Mark Ballas served as Derek’s best man, while Alfonso Ribeiro, Jenna Johnson, Kym Herjavec, and her hubby, Robert Herjavec, also attended. After the celebration, the couple headed to Italy for their honeymoon.
Hayley Erbert Hough’s medical emergency
During “Dedication Night” on DWTS, Derek shared exactly what happened during Hayley’s medical emergency. At the time, the couple were happy newlyweds, and Season 32 of DWTS had concluded. Once again, Derek and Hayley were back on The Symphony of Dance Tour.
“It just all came to a screeching halt in the most devastating way. I was on stage, and she’s supposed to come out,” Derek explained in a pre-taped package. Instead, the stage manager told Derek that she wasn’t coming. “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,” Derek said.
On December 6, 2023, Hayley was rushed to the hospital, where a physician gave Derek some devastating news. Hayley had “a severe brain bleed” and required immediate surgery. “He said that she might not make it and that even if she does make it, she won’t be the same person,” Derek said.
According to Cedars-Sinai, a craniectomy is “a type of surgery to remove a portion of your skull. This helps relieve extra pressure on your brain.” Two days after Hayley’s surgery, Derek thanked fans for their support. However, he shared that Hayley would be undergoing a second surgery on December 20, 2023. This surgery was to “replace a large portion of her skull that was removed during her Craniectomy.”
Hayley returns to dancing
Eventually, Hayley and Derek posted an Instagram video so that Hayley could give an update. “To this day, I still have really good days and I have really bad days – emotionally and physically sometimes – but I’m doing so much better every single day,” she explained. “Life is so precious. Spend time with the ones you love. Hold them close ’cause you never know what could happen,” Hayley added.
In March, Derek revealed that there was a chance that Hayley would be able to return to dancing and their tour. Then, the following month, Hayley was given the go-ahead to resume dancing.
After their tour concluded, Hayley shared a post via Instagram reflecting on her memories. “The Symphony of Dance tour has only been over for a few days and I still haven’t quite found the words to express my emotions,” Hayley captioned a carousel of photos. “But I DID IT! This tour reignited many parts of me that have been dim for so long.” She added, “I am so grateful to still be here, with you all, doing what I love.”
Hayley Erbert Hough and Derek Hough’s DWTS return
During “Dedication Night,” Derek continued the story of Hayley’s recovery in a pre-taped package. He recounted how, when he felt overwhelmed, he would walk into his wife’s hospital room, and she would be smiling. “She is my beautiful miracle,” Derek stated.
Then Hayley shared her thoughts ahead of their dance. “I’ll be forever grateful to everybody that supported me through this. It’s why I’m here today,” the former DWTS troop member said as she started to cry. “He was my rock throughout it all.”
Finally, Derek weighed in on their return to the ballroom. “For me, this dance is just a moment for us to be together again onstage doing what we love. The fact that we’re able to dance together again is nothing short of a miracle,” he said. “I’m so thankful.”
The couple danced an emotional routine to Beautiful Things (Acoustic) by Benson Boone. It was, powerful, tender, emotional, and stunning. After their performance, the audience and judges gave the couple a standing ovation. Derek backed up, letting Hayley have her moment in the spotlight.
Finally, they spoke with co-hosts Alfonso and Julianne. The sisterly bond between Hayley and Julianne was so sweet. Then Derek shared that he and Hayley performed for the physicians and nurses who had treated Hayley. Her doctors told Derek that Hayley’s incredible recovery was, indeed, a miracle. “You inspire me so much … so much,” he told his wife.
A weepy Julianne asked Hayley what the frightening experience was like for her. “You never know what you’re capable of until you go through something like this,” Hayley stated. “So, I’m really proud of myself.” You should be, Hayley! Her recovery was amazing, and no doubt due to her persistence and hard work.
Derek and Hayley’s emotional return to the ballroom was another unforgettable moment in DWTS history.
Dancing with the Stars airs on Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC and Disney+
TELL US – WERE YOU EMOTIONAL WATCHING DEREK HOUGH AND HAYLEY ERBERT HOUGH’S RETURN TO DWTS?
