Derek Hough Reveals Wife Hayley Erbert Will Have Another Surgery, Asks for Prayers

Derek Hough’s wife, Hayley Erbert, is undergoing surgery Wednesday morning to “replace a large portion of her skull” that was previously removed during an emergency craniectomy. The Dancing With the Stars judge took to Instagram early Wednesday morning to share the latest update on his wife’s health journey after she suffered cranial hematoma symptoms and was rushed into surgery during their Symphony of Dance tour earlier this month. 

Hough shared the latest surgery update on his Instagram Story Wednesday, adding, “I strongly believe all the prayers that have been sent with the intention and love of Hayley’s recovery has helped so much. I can’t thank you all enough.” The professional dancer continued, “Please keep her in your prayers as I believe the collective energy helped her through these past few weeks. We love you we thank you.”

Hough previously revealed that Erbert would have to undergo a second skull surgery on Friday, writing that the skull implant his wife would have put in place would “restore the skull to its natural shape and protect the brain from injury.” The update came alongside a video of the married couple walking arm in arm on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., with Erbert wearing a medical helmet to protect her skull. 

“As you all know, the past week has been a challenging journey for us due to a life-threatening event that suddenly came into our lives. It was a time filled with uncertainty and fear, going from living our dreams onstage, to a nightmare in an instant. But today, we are filled with hope and relief as we share with you an update,” Hough wrote at the time. “Hayley is doing well. Her recovery process has been nothing short of a miracle. She still has a ways to go with another surgery, hopefully in a few weeks, to insert a skull implant to replace the piece that was removed during the craniectomy. It will restore the skull to its natural shape and protect the brain from injury.”

Hough continued to thank everyone for Erbert’s “incredible support and medical care,” writing that the incident had been “a profound reminder of how fragile life can be and how quickly things can change” as well as a reminder of the “incredible strength and resilience that lies within us and the power of having a supportive community around us.” He concluded, “While this isn’t the holiday season either of us envisioned, it’s one that we’re incredibly grateful to have. We look forward to cherishing these moments with a deeper appreciation for life and the people in it.”