Heavy/Getty Derek Hough shared another update on Hayley Erbert.
“Dancing with the Stars” judge Derek Hough is asking fans for more prayers in his latest update on his wife Hayley Erbert’s medical situation.
On December 7, Hough shared via Instagram that Erbert had been rushed to the hospital amid one of their “A Symphony of Dance” tour shows. He has given DWTS fans a couple of updates since then, and on December 19, he took to his Instagram Stories to post another significant one.
Erbert is taking the next big step on the long road to recovery, and that means another surgery. Hough thanked fans for all the support they’ve given so far, and he asked that they continue.
Here’s what you need to know:
Hayley Erbert’s 2nd Surgery Has Taken Place
In an Instagram Story, Hough explained, “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 “Dancing with the Stars” judge continued, “She is going in for surgery this morning to replace a large portion of her skull that was removed during her Craniectomy.”
When Hough initially shared news of Erbert’s medical emergency, he shared, “She was diagnosed with a cranial hematoma from a burst blood vessel and required an emergency craniectomy.”
According to Cedars-Sinai, “A craniectomy is a type of surgery to remove a portion of your skull. This helps relieve extra pressure on your brain.” At a later date, Cedars-Sinai explains, a patient often has a second surgery called a cranioplasty. “During a cranioplasty, your missing piece of skull will be replaced with your original bone or a synthetic material.”
In his Instagram Story sharing the news of Erbert’s second surgery, Hough added, “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.”
DWTS Fans Are Stepping up to Support Erbert & Hough
Because Hough shared that update in an Instagram Story, replies go directly to him via direct messages and are not public. Quite a few supporters took to Reddit instead to share the news and send their support.
“I appreciate the updates from Derek. My heart and thoughts are with them,” one fan shared on the “Dancing with the Stars” subreddit.
“Breaks my heart. I hope she is ok,” added another.
“My heart truly breaks for her, this is so scary. wishing for nothing but a speedy recovery,” someone else wrote.
“What great news! Continuing prayers for Hayley, Derek and family. Hayley seems to be nothing short of a miracle and healing quickly. When the video of her walking. I was impressed at how straight she was walking and without a walker. Now the surgeon was able to put part of her skull back,” read a separate Redditor’s comment.
The walking video referenced was posted by Hough on Instagram on December 15. The video showed Erbert and Hough, from the back, walking outdoors together.
In the caption of that post, the “Dancing with the Stars” judge noted that the previous week “was a time filled with uncertainty and fear, going from living our dreams onstage, to a nightmare in an instant.” He added, “But today, we are filled with hope and relief…Hayley is doing well.”
“Hayley is showing so much strength and perseverance, it’s incredible. With such a challenging and traumatic situation it can be easy to let yourself fall apart,” another Redditor shared after learning of Hough’s latest update.
On December 21, Hough shared a significant update on how Erbert’s second surgery went.