Derek Hough nearly lost his wife just three months after they tied the knot in a stunning ceremony. The Dancing With The Stars judge’s wife, Hayley Erbert, had a near-death experience in 2023. The couple broke their silence and spoke out about the terrifying incident for the first time. Keep reading to find out what they had to say.
Derek Hough Breaks Silence On Wife’s Near-Death Experience, Admits Feeling ‘Guilty’
Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert are both professional dancers. They were in the middle of their “Symphony of Dance” live tour in late 2025 when tragedy nearly struck. Hayley Erbert became disoriented backstage and was immediately rushed to the hospital. She needed emergency surgery after suffering a possibly fatal brain bleed.
An emergency craniectomy was necessary to relieve the pressure caused by the bleed. However, there was no way to tell if she would be able to talk, walk, or dance after the surgery. The couple has shared details about the scary incident over the years. But a new documentary featuring footage of the incident and Hayley Erbert’s recovery debuts at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 7. They sat down with Good Morning America’s Michael Strahan for one of their first interviews about everything that happened.
“It’s crazy that it’s only been like two and a half years. It feels like it’s been forever, but also it was just yesterday and we have truly come so far and I’m so proud of both of us,” Hayley Erbert shared. She made her triumphant return to the stage, but Derek Hough admitted he wasn’t sure if he would ever dance again.
“Essentially, this happened while she was dancing with me. And so, I felt responsible. I felt guilty. I felt a resentment towards dancing as well, where I felt like it was the thing that almost killed her. And so, I couldn’t even think about performing or dancing. It just seemed so ridiculous,” the Dancing With The Stars judge revealed.
Hayley Erbert Shares Health Update
Derek Hough praised his wife’s strength during the ordeal. “She was there with the smile hooked up to the tubes and the wires in the hospital,” Hough continued, “and she had this determination, this ‘I’m going to dance again. I’m going to be on that floor again.’ And she did it. It defied all the odds,” he said.
Hayley Erbert told Michael Strahan that she’s doing great. In fact, she feels better than ever. The couple welcomed their first child, Everly, in January. Derek Hough can’t wait to show their daughter the Symphony of Dance documentary. “One thing I love more than anything is being able to show her this one day and show her what a bada** her mom is,” he said.
Symphony of Dance debuts at the Tribeca Film Festival this weekend. Stay tuned for news on a possible theater and streaming release.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger