Sasha Farber Talks ‘Darkest Year’ of His Life Amid Split, DWTS Elimination

ABC Sasha Farber opened up about the "darkest year" of his life in a new post.

“Dancing With the Stars” professional dancer Sasha Farber is opening up about what it meant to him to have actress Selma Blair as a partner on the competition show and how she helped him through a hard time.

“I don’t even know where to start, this has been the darkest year of my life, and I started to finally see the joy and light, the first day I got to hold your hand and teach you your first steps,” Farber wrote on Instagram. “You have taught me so much about myself and the things that really matter in life. You have inspired me and the whole world.”

He added, “This journey has been one for the record books, there was not one day that you didn’t give it your all, you showed so much dedication and determination. I am for ever grateful for you and I will always have your back, you are a shining star and my champion.”

Farber and his wife, Emma Slater, split in 2022. He also mourned the loss of his grandfather.

Blair Left ‘Dancing With the Stars’ After the ‘Most Memorable Year’ Episode

In her pre-recorded package that aired before it was her turn to perform on the Monday, October 17 episode of ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ Blair shared that her most memorable year was 2018 when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Before that, she thought she was a “failure as a mom.”

But, being diagnosed was “the beginning of recovery as a person.”

The star said she had MRIs show some tearing and rips, which was concerning to her doctors.

“It’s way too much for the safety of my bones,” she told Farber during a rehearsal. “I could do extensive damage that, of course, I do not want. I’ll have to settle in and get used to being a mom again.”

The 50-year-old actress was previously open with fans about the extra precautions she was taking during rehearsals, including wearing an ice vest and keeping a bed nearby.

Her leaving the competition meant there were only 11 couples left in the competition.

Farber & His Wife Split Earlier This Year

“Dancing With the Stars” professional dancers Emma Slater and Sasha Farber have been married for four years, though the couple recently called it quits, according to reports.

In August 2022, multiple sources speaking with E! Online and Us Weekly confirmed that Farber and Slater were no longer together, though they have not yet filed divorce papers.

Slater and Farber have been together since 2011, breaking up for a short period in 2014 before getting engaged in 2016. They have been married since 2018.

“They’ve been apart for many months now,” one source told Us Weekly. “They both have not been wearing their wedding rings and are each leading a single life.”

Neither dancer has commented on the split publicly, though Slater responded to a question asked by Extra after the Monday, October 17 episode of “Dancing With the Stars.”

“I think it’s been a challenging year for a lot of people…,” Slater told the outlet. “For me, I just kind of surround myself with a lot of friends and just try to uplift and do the best I can, and I really do think that that’s the same for almost everybody.”

She called it an “honor” to get to know Blair during her time on the show.