What Happened to Derek Hough’s Wife Hayley Erbert? All About the Dancer’s Craniectomy

Hayley Erbert has been on her recovery journey ever since undergoing brain surgery.

In December 2023, the dancer and Derek Hough’s wife was rushed to the hospital during a performance because of a bleeding in her skull. Erbert was diagnosed with a cranial hematoma due a burst blood vessel and had to undergo a craniectomy, a surgery that removes a portion of the skull.

In the months since her health scare, the couple has shared updates about her recovery, including her return to dance. In April, the couple confirmed she would be returning to the “A Symphony of Dance” tour. Hough shared a video announcement on his Instagram story with Erbert, telling fans that she was “cleared to rejoin” the tour when it kicked off again on April 14 in Melbourne, Florida.

In another Instagram post, Erbert also reflected on her months-long journey to recovery and her return to dancing, calling it a “blessing” and a “surprise.”

“My healing journey has been nothing short of extraordinary and being able to dance again is igniting my soul in all the ways; speeding up my recovery even more,” she wrote in part in the caption.

Erbert also expressed her gratitude to her doctors and team of specialists for their help in return to dance while ensuring that her “health and safety is a priority.”

What happened to Hayley Erbert

Hough first shared news of Erbert’s hospitalization on Dec. 7, 2023. At the time, he said she was hospitalized after she became disoriented at the end of their tour performance.

“She was diagnosed with a cranial hematoma from a burst blood vessel and required an emergency craniectomy,” Hough wrote, adding that she was in stable condition.

Hough posted a video on Instagram on Dec. 15 of him and his wife, who was wearing protective head gear, walking hand in hand. A rendition of Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” is playing in the background.

“As you all know, the past week has been a challenging journey for us due to a life-threatening event that suddenly came into our lives. It was a time filled with uncertainty and fear, going from living our dreams onstage, to a nightmare in an instant,” he began. “But today, we are filled with hope and relief as we share with you an update.”

“(Hayley’s) recovery process has been nothing short of a miracle,” he wrote. “She still has a ways to go with another surgery, hopefully in a few weeks, to insert a skull implant to replace the piece that was removed during the craniectomy.”

The dancer continued by thanking everyone for their support and the medical care that his wife received.

“It’s been a profound reminder of how fragile life can be and how quickly things can change. But, it has also shown us the incredible strength and resilience that lies within us and the power of having a supportive community around us,” he wrote, adding that they cannot express enough gratitude for everyone’s support, messages, prayers and “undeniable loving energy we have both felt during this time.”

He added that while this isn’t the holiday season either of them 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.”

What is a craniectomy?

A craniectomy is a surgery that removes a portion of the skull — in Erbert’s case it was to address the blood pooling around the brain.

An intracranial hematoma occurs when a blood vessel splits in the brain and blood pools in the skull, according to the Mayo Clinic. It often occurs after a traumatic event, such as a car crash, fall or accident.

A day after the incident, Hough had shared a brief update, telling his followers that his wife was “now on the long road of recovery.”

Derek Hough shares that his wife was undergoing another surgery

On Dec. 20, Hough shared that his wife was going in for surgery “to replace a large portion of her skull that was removed during her craniectomy.”

“I strongly believe all the prayers that have been sent with the intention and love of Hayley’s recovery have helped so much. I can’t thank you all enough,” he wrote on his Instagram story.

The day after Erbert underwent her second surgery, Hough posted to Instagram and said the latest operation had “been successfully completed as planned.”

“This surgery marks a significant milestone in my wife’s recovery journey, and your support has played a crucial role in getting us here. We are filled with hope and optimism for the future, knowing she is on the path to a full recovery, surrounded by such a loving community,” the Instagram caption read, with additional gratitude expressed to the doctor who saved her life and completed the latest surgery.

Hayley Erbert opens up about her recoveryOn Feb. 5, Erbert shared her own personal update on her ongoing recovery in an emotional video on Instagram.

“In the beginning of December, I had an emergency craniectomy. Then a couple weeks later had a cranioplasty,” which according to John Hopkins Medicine is a surgery “repair of a bone defect in the skull resulting from a previous operation or injury.”

“And here I am today,” the dancer said. “It’s been quite the journey. There’s been so much that has happened in two months. Lots of emotions, lots of … all the things.”

Hough, on his end, praised his wife’s perseverance and strength. “She really is a miracle,” he said.

Erbert continued sharing how she’s feeling, saying, “To this day, I still have really good days and I have really bad days, emotionally and physically sometimes. but I’m doing so much better every single day. Truly there is so much progress every day and I’m so grateful for that.”

Getting teary-eyed, she also touched on all the love and well wishes she had received while in the hospital, before showing off her shorter haircut and scar.

“It’s what helped me heal,” she said. “It’s what helped me stay positive throughout the entire experience.” 

Hough then said, “It’s a new year, it’s a new haircut.”

Erbert added, “A new scar, a new sack of fluid on the side of my face, which is supposed to eventually go away.”

“I also got a new skull, but yeah, also a new outlook on life,” she said. “Life is so precious and, just spend time with the ones you love. Hold them close because you never know what can happen.”

Since then, the two have been taking trips and celebrated their first year of marriage on Aug. 26.