‘DWTS’ Couple Peta Murgatroyd and Maks Chmerkovskiy Mourn Death in the Family

Dancing With the Stars pros Peta Murgatroyd and Maksim Chmerkovskiy are mourning the loss of a beloved family member: Murgatroyd’s father, Derek. She took to Instagram to announce her father’s death on Thursday, writing a heartfelt tribute to her “teddy bear.”

“To the Greatest Dad, my teddy bear,” she began. “This is the end of our ride earth side. Oh how I wish we could take this boat trip again. In the next life we will. This glance to each other was perfectly captured, you were so content, at sea where you were always meant to be. I know though that you will continue to ride with me until I see you again.”

She continued, “I hope I made you proud these 36 years. You were my everything and I will miss you until my days here are done. I will hold the warmth of your hand in my heart forever. Always your ‘darling baby girl’ as you would say. I love you until the 12th of never. Forever Daddy’s Girl.”

Alongside the tribute, Murgatroyd shared a pair of photos showing her with her father: one on a boat and another from his hospital bed. Her husband Chmerkovskiy, shared a broken heart emoji in the comments section of the post.

Murgatroyd’s sister-in-law, DWTS co-star Jenna Johnson, recounted her own experience with Derek. “Will never forget our jazz club night with him. Pure joy and happiness,” she wrote. Another DWTS pro, Alan Bersten, wrote, “Oh Peta I am so sorry for your loss. You have definitely made him proud. Sending you so much love.” DWTS season 28 winner Hannah Brown also showed support, writing, “Sending you so much love and prayer.” DWTS pro Sharna Burgess wrote, “He is always with you. I love you.”

Murgatroyd’s father’s death is just the latest vulnerable moment she has shared with her Instagram followers. Earlier this year, she shared updates on her in vitro fertilization journey, which took an unwanted turn in August when she shared in an emotional video that the embryo transfer from her and Chmerkovksiy’s first round of IVF was not successful.

“I promised you all that I would be open and honest. I had times where I was unsure of that decision throughout my IVF journey and even more so after we got the news that our transfer did not work,” Murgatroyd wrote at the start of her lengthy caption. “But going back on my word after being such an open book wouldn’t be right.”

“…So here it is. One of the happiest days of my life, and then 10 days later one of the saddest moments I’ll never forget,” she continued. “Standing on the side of the road in West Hollywood, hoping for the best….thinking this was MY time, my turn for ‘happiness.’ Life is funny though. When you think you got it figured out, it slaps you in the face and makes you start over. I keep learning that ‘God’s plans will always be more beautiful than all your disappointments’… I have to keep believing that.”