Getty Maksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroyd attend the UNICEF Masquerade Ball
“Dancing With the Stars” professional dancer Peta Murgatroyd is mourning a huge loss in her family. She shared on Instagram on December 29 that her father Derek Murgatroyd has died.
Peta Murgatroyd’s Father Derek Murgatroyd Died on December 29
In an emotional Instagram tribute to her father, the professional dancer shared two photos — one of her with her father on a boat and another of their hands together. She then wrote a lovely tribute and shared that she hopes she made him proud these 36 years.
Murgatroyd wrote:
To The Greatest Dad, my teddy bear.
This is the end of our ride earth side. Oh how I wish we could take this boat trip again. In the next life we will.
This glance to each other was perfectly captured, you were so content, at sea where you were always meant to be.
I know though that you will continue to ride with me until I see you again.
I hope I made you proud these 36 years. You were my everything and I will miss you until my days here are done.
I will hold the warmth of your hand in my heart forever.
She finished the post by writing, “Always your ‘darling baby girl,’ as you would say. I love you until the 12th of never. Forever Daddy’s Girl. Derek John Murgatroyd 22/7/1941 ~ 29/12/2022.”
Peta Did Get to Spend Time With Her Father Right Before Christmas
On December 10, both Murgatroyd and her husband, fellow “Dancing With the Stars” pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy, shared on their social media that Murgatroyd had flown back to Australia to spend time with her family.
Chmerkovskiy posted on Instagram that he unfortunately had to miss the the Naples Open, which is an international dance competition held in Naples, Italy, due to a “family emergency.”
“I am absolutely gutted that I am unable to be with you this weekend. @petamurgatroyd and I have a family emergency which changed all of our plans and made it impossible for me to travel,” wrote Chmerkovskiy.
He apologized to the competitors and fellow judges at the competition and finished it by writing, “Family comes first, even if it changes your plans. Love, Maks.”
On her Instagram stories, Murgatroyd shared with her followers that she had to fly home to her native country of Australia.
“In Melbourne and waiting on connecting flight to Perth,” she wrote in her stories. “Seriously cannot wait to see my fam. Bro picking me up from the airport.” She added that she is missing Maks and their son Shai.
Murgatroyd elaborated slightly in an Instagram live Q&A, telling her fans, “I’m leaving to Australia tonight, I have to deal with some stuff in Australia with my dad, so I’m going for a week.”
The professional dancer previously shared with her followers that her father is sick with an illness she did not disclose. In May 2022, she posted to her Instagram stories, “I flew to Australia to be with my family. Sorry, I’ve been MIA, I just don’t have it in me to be on here right now. My dad isn’t doing the best, so I just want to spend every minute with him, and of course, my mother and brother.”
Murgatroyd and her father were obviously close. On Father’s Day 2020, she posted a tribute to him on Instagram with a series of photos of them together and she captioned it, “I love you so much. You mean the world to me. Happy Father’s Day to the best dad and one who always showed me love and guidance through kindness and selflessness. I can’t wait to see you again.”