“Dancing With The Stars” Veteran Derek Hough is reflecting on a defining moment from 2022, when he and his wife, Hayley Erbert Hough, were involved in a serious car crash that left a lasting emotional impact.
Talking to People, Hough described the experience as “traumatizing,” marking the beginning of what he now calls three deeply difficult winters.
Years Marked by Trauma and Resilience For Derek-Hayley
GettyHayley and Derek revealed they were involved in a car accident on December 12, 2022, in a joint Instagram post, as reported by People. (Later, Hayley deleted the post)
In a social media post shared by the couple, they wrote: “Derek and I got into a pretty scary car accident in the mountains,” Erbert wrote, describing icy roads, a steep hill, and the fear of sliding off the mountain.
A video posted by the couple showed the aftermath, including damage to their car, a hospital visit, and Erbert receiving stitches on her forehead. Hough later shared that Erbert did not remember the accident at first.
“The scariest part was that Hayley doesn’t remember anything,” he wrote, adding that she was dazed and unaware of her injury until first responders arrived. Despite the ordeal, the couple said they were grateful no one else was involved and that they both walked away safe, with Erbert sustaining four stitches above her eyebrow.
The accident required Hayley to receive four stitches in her forehead and set the tone for a period filled with fear and uncertainty.
The car crash was only the first in a series of life-altering events for the couple.
The following year, Hayley was rushed to the hospital mid-performance during their “Symphony of Dance” tour after suffering a brain bleed caused by a burst blood vessel.
Doctors were forced to remove about 40 percent of her skull to relieve the pressure. She later underwent a second surgery for a skull implant. Around the same time the following year, the couple also endured the heartbreak of a miscarriage.
“She’s been through so much,” Hough said of his wife, becoming visibly emotional. “To see her go from where she was to now, giving birth, is amazing. My daughter has a great example here.”
Welcoming Daughter Everley Capri Brings Healing
After years shaped by fear and loss, the couple entered a new chapter with the arrival of their daughter, Everley Capri, on December 29.
Since then, emotions have run high inside their Los Angeles home. “Literally every time I see Derek and Everley together, I just start crying,” Hayley said.
Hough shared that even his first public appearance since becoming a father left him overwhelmed. While attending the Golden Globes on January 11, he found himself eager to return home rather than celebrate.
Getty“I remember saying it out loud for the first time: ‘No, no. I’m going straight home to my daughter…and now I got to go because I’m about to cry.’ ”
With Everley’s birth, Hough said he and Hayley are finally able to redefine a time of year once associated with trauma. “
We’ve had so many moments in life that are not as great,” Hayley told People. “So she’s our rainbow after the storm.”
To Hayley’s comments, Derek added, “She’s literally this beautiful ray of light.”
The couple tied the knot in 2023 after first crossing paths nearly a decade earlier, when Hayley joined Hough’s dance tour alongside his sister, Julianne Hough.
Now, as Hough reflects on surviving a scary car crash and the years that followed, fatherhood has brought perspective, gratitude, and a sense of renewal that once felt out of reach.
