Shortly after “Dancing With the Stars” alums Derek Hough and his wife Hayley Erbert married in 2023, they went on their first big tour as newlyweds. Then, disaster struck.
At the end of their performance in Washington, D.C., Hayley suffered a medical emergency, which turned out to be a cranial hematoma.
Now, the DWTS judge is reflecting on that terrifying night and what they now believe caused the injury.
Derek Hough Recalls the Evening Leading Up to His Wife’s Hospitalization
Dancers often sustain bumps and bruises on the floor, but Hayley Erbert Hough’s brain injury was on an entirely different level. Derek Hough recently revealed what most likely led up to Hayley’s cranial hematoma.
“@derekhough shares the terrifying moment he nearly lost his wife, @hayley.erbert after a life threatening head injury while dancing. This is crazy!” “The Bossticks” podcast shared on its Instagram page.
“We just got married in August and three months later she had a brain bleed on stage,” Derek Hough recalled the terrifying night while speaking with the podcast hosts. “We hit heads while we were dancing, and she immediately just, you know, started bleeding essentially in her brain. But she didn’t know. Nobody knew until the end of the show. We finished the last number right towards the end. I came over there and she was in agony.”
The DWTS judge remembered having to make the difficult choice over which hospital to choose. Derek Hough opted for the hospital that was farther away, but had more medical equipment to deal with head injuries. Later, the head of the hospital thanked Derek for choosing their facility, noting that Hayley likely would not have survived if he had chosen the other hospital because they did not have the tools necessary to help her.
Ultimately, Hayley Erbert Hough underwent an emergency craniectomy and surgeons had to remove 40% of her skull.
“We think, we don’t know for sure for sure, but at this point we’re relatively sure now that it’s when we hit heads at the beginning of the show. But we’ve hit heads before,” Derek told the hosts.
Initially, the physicians treating Hayley revealed that if she survived, she likely would never be the same. Thankfully, Derek Hough revealed that his wife made a full recovery. Today, she’s incredibly happy, healthy, and even went on to dance again.
In the comments, many listeners shared gratitude that Hayley Erbert Hough went on to make a full recovery. Others expressed shock that bumping heads led to such a traumatic result.
“Everything just fell into place at the right time for your beautiful wife. So glad she recovered fully and now you have your sweet baby together❤️❤️❤️” one fan wrote in the comments.
“Wow this is the first time I’ve heard him say anything about them hitting heads earlier in the show,” another added.
The Couple Went on to Welcome Their Daughter in 2025
While “Dancing With the Stars” fans felt relieved Hayley Erbert Hough recovered and can dance again, she didn’t just stop there. She and Derek Hough welcomed their first child in December 2025. They named her Everley Capri Hough.
Fans wish the absolute best for the Hough family and hope to see them perform on “Dancing With the Stars” together again soon.
