Derek Hough’s Wife Has Skull Surgery After Emergency Craniectomy

Dancing With the Stars pro Derek Hough’s wife Hayley has undergone surgery to replace a piece of her skull removed during an emergency craniectomy. It came several weeks earlier than anticipated, and his fans and followers aren’t sure if that’s a good thing or not.

• Both Hough and Hayley Erbert are professional dancers who’ve starred on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars.
• They began dating in 2015 and married last August.
• This most recent trauma began on Dec. 6. Her surgery took place on Wednesday (Dec. 20).

What Happened to Derek Hough’s Wife?

Hough and his wife of four months were in Washington, D.C,. for a tour stop when she became disoriented and was taken to the hospital. On Instagram, the 38-year-old explained that a blood vessel had burst, causing a cranial hematoma. Erbert underwent an emergency craniectomy at that point.

On Dec. 8, the celebrity dancer praised his wife’s resilience in a post that revealed she had a long way to go toward full recovery. On Dec. 15, he shared touching video of the two of them walking the National Mall in Washington, D.C. She’s wearing a helmet in the video seen below. His caption was good news, and full of hope.

“(Hayley’s) recovery process has been nothing short of a miracle,” Hough writes before explaining that a surgery in a few weeks would replace a piece of skull removed during the craniectomy.

“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.”

Sadly, this isn’t the first tragedy they’ve navigated together.

Who Is Derek Hough’s Wife, Hayley Erbert?

Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert met in 2014, when he hired her for a tour with his sister, Julianne Hough. They wouldn’t start to date until 2015, but kept the relationship quiet for several years.

The Topeka, Kan., native is 29 years old and has been dancing since she was a little girl. Prior to DWTS, she appeared on Season 10 of So You Think You Can Dance on Fox (2013). She’s been featured in several movies and awards shows as part of a dance troupe.

A 2018 bus crash was the first scary moment the couple would navigate. She was on board the Dancing With the Stars tour bus, but everyone was OK.

Four years later — in December 2022 — the couple were involved in a car accident that she said was a product of “a steep hill, icy roads and a tree.” Both were OK, but Hayley shared video on Instagram of her swollen face, stitches and cuts.

“Now, more than ever, we realize how fragile life is and how important it is to love those around you,” Erbert wrote.

Derek Hough Wife Update:

Hough has been the source for updates via his Instagram page. He shared news of the surgery on his IG Story on Wednesday morning, adding, “Please keep her in your prayers as I believe the collective energy helped her through these past few weeks.”