Why Maks Chmerkovskiy ‘Can’t Wake Up Happy’ Despite Pregnancy News

Maks Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd.

Getty Images Maks Chmerkovskiy speaks out about his wife's pregnancy.

On January 13, 2023, Peta Murgatroyd announced that she is pregnant with her second child. The “Dancing With the Stars” pro had previously opened up about her pregnancy journey and her struggles to conceive.

“It brings me immense joy to finally announce that @maksimc and I are expecting our Chmerkovskiy #2,” she captioned an Instagram post including photos of her growing belly.

“After 2 years of constant struggle and heartache, 3 miscarriages and a failed embryo transfer…we have a healthy bun in the oven :)) It was a shock to all of us and we found out right before I was going in for my second round of IVF,” Murgatroyd continued, adding, “This news has brought extraordinary bliss to our family and we have so much to be grateful for.”

Murgatroyd’s husband Maksim Chmerkovskiy left a string of red heart emoji in the comments section, but when it came time for him to react to the news on his own social media account, he admitted that it’s not easy for him to be “happy” given what is going on in his home country of Ukraine.

Here’s what you need to know:


Maks Chmerkovskiy Says He ‘Wholeheartedly’ Wishes for Peace on Ukraine’s National Day of Unity

In February 2022, Chmerkovskiy was working in Ukraine when unrest broke out. He shared several updates by way of social media videos before he was able to make it out of the country and back to the United States safely. Chmerkovskiy has continued speaking out about what’s going on in the Ukraine.

On January 14, 2023, for example, he shared a video taken in Dnipro with the caption “WAR!!!!!!!” In the video, people trapped under rubble could be heard screaming.

As Chmerkovskiy keeps up with what is going on in the place he used to call home, he explained that he can’t be truly happy or at peace knowing what’s happening overseas.

Although Chmerkovskiy is excited to welcome a new baby into the world, he admitted he’s struggling with his feelings.

“I have so much beauty happening in my life….yet I can’t wake up happy as long as I wake up to the news of another terrorist act by russian army in Ukraine,” Chmerkovskiy wrote on his Instagram Stories on January 14, the day after his wife announced their news.

On January 22, nearly a year into the war and Ukraine’s Day of Unity, Chmerkovskiy shared an Instagram post featuring the Ukrainian flag and a sunflower. “As a Ukrainian national symbol a sunflower represents peace. Something I wholeheartedly wish for all Ukrainians, very soon,” he wrote.


Maks Chmerkovskiy Says He Doesn’t Feel Right Posting the Positive Things Amid War

In his January 14 Instagram Stories, Chmerkovskiy said his family’s baby news isn’t the only thing he’s struggling to celebrate given the ongoing violence in his home country.

“I literally can’t unsee or unhear it, and I can’t figure out how to make a post celebrating my life, my sister-in law, my brother and me becoming an uncle….” he continued, referencing his wife’s pregnancy announcement, and his brother Val Chmerkovskiy’s new baby boy.

“It’s been almost a year and I’ve yet to hear most of my russian ‘friends’ say ANYTHING! I really do hope there’s justice at the end of it all,” he concluded.

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