In honor of Hayley Erbert Hough returning to the “Dancing With the Stars” ballroom on Tuesday night, her husband Derek Hough shared an update on her health scare last year that very nearly could have killed her.
The two were on tour with “DWTS” in December 2023 when Hayley began having a seizure offstage. “It’s really hard to even put into words,” the dancing champ-turned-judge tears up in the clip. “We rushed her to the hospital. She was still in her costume. And the doctor came to me and he said that she has a severe brain bleed, so they had to operate right now.”
The doctor also told Hough, “She might not make it, and even if she does make it, she won’t be the same person.”
Hayley was diagnosed with a cranial hematoma due to a burst blood vessel. Doctors performed a craniectomy, which involved removing part of her skull, to relieve the pressure on her brain.
Hough previously shared the health scare to his Instagram page, telling fans, “It was a time filled with uncertainty and fear, going from living our dreams onstage, to a nightmare in an instant. Her recovery process has been nothing short of a miracle.”
In keeping with the show’s upcoming theme of Dedication Night, the clip will air ahead of her first performance since her surgery. Hayley had performed as part of the “Dancing With the Stars” troupe and on the show’s tour prior to her incident.
Additionally, Hayley and Derek will be performing together, ABC confirmed on Tuesday. They got married on Aug. 26, 2023.
“Pretty Little Liars” actress Chandler Kinney, who is competing this season and has been at the top of the leaderboard, responded with the comment, “screaming.”
“Dancing With the Stars” airs Tuesdays on ABC and streams on Disney+.
