It’s been almost two years since dancer Hayley Erbert Hough was rushed into an emergency surgery following a cranial hematoma diagnosis while on tour with her husband, “Dancing With the Stars” judge and Utah native Derek Hough.
The Houghs — who had only been married for a few months at the time of the health scare in December 2023— were open with fans about the ups and downs of the recovery process.
“It’s been wild — I mean, going from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows,” Derek Hough previously said in a video, sitting alongside his wife, per Deseret News. “But I had to say, throughout this experience, this woman has been unbelievable, and her perseverance and her acceptance of the whole situation, her strength, it’s been remarkable to witness firsthand. She really is a miracle, and it’s been miraculous — and it’s still a journey.”
Now, as the Houghs are in a decidedly more joyful chapter of life, preparing to welcome a baby, they are continuing to share their personal highs and lows with fans — including the “absolute despair and heartbreak” they felt from a miscarriage last year to the comfort they found in learning they weren’t alone in their loss.
Derek and Hayley Hough on pregnancy loss last year
In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month in October, the Houghs recently shared an emotional video that revealed the couple suffered a miscarriage last year.
“A chapter of loss, love, celebration, heartbreak, and everything in between,” reads a caption on the video. “Although we are so excited to be welcoming our rainbow baby so soon, we honor our baby that never made it earthside.”
The video recounts Hayley Hough’s pregnancy reveal to her husband, the couple telling their friends and family, and their faces lighting up at ultrasounds, before shifting to a clip that shows the Houghs processing the pregnancy loss.
The video also included part of an emotional dance to Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” that the couple performed on “Dancing With the Stars” last October. While the dance was emotional to viewers because it marked Hayley Hough’s return to the ”Dancing With the Stars" stage following a cranial hematoma, the recent news of the miscarriage is showing the performance in a new light.
“Now that you know our story, this moment holds a much deeper meaning,” Derek Hough recently shared on Instagram.
After sharing about their miscarriage, the couple posted another video thanking fans for their love and support.
Hayley Hough said hearing similar experiences from friends helped the couple work through their ongoing loss and grief, and that they now hope to do that for others in sharing their story.
“When Hayley and I found out, it was absolutely devastating,” Derek Hough recalled with emotion. “We were in tears, we were consoling each other. We were in our car, just really beyond devastated. And ... we reached out to some friends and to family, and they had been really supportive and shared their own stories. It really felt like in a moment of absolute despair and heartbreak, it felt like a warm blanket. It felt like a feeling of we’re not alone, and realizing how common it actually is. I mean, we had no idea, honestly. There’s a lot of shame, you feel all these emotions, all these things.”
“It feels isolating — you feel isolated when you’re going through something like that,” Hayley Hough added. “But knowing that it’s so common, and having people talk to you about their experience, truly feels like you’re a little less alone.”
“It doesn’t take away the heartbreak,” Derek Hough continued. “But we hope that by sharing, we’re able to bring maybe a little bit of comfort, or a little bit of connection. ... And encourage and give you some hope and some love on the other side.”
Derek Hough, Hayley Erbert prepare to welcome baby
The Houghs revealed in July that they were expecting again.
“We can’t believe the biggest thing to happen to us could be so small,” reads a caption on the video.
Although the couple hasn’t publicly shared the baby’s gender, “Dancing With the Stars” fans believe Derek Hough accidentally slipped up and revealed he was having a daughter while giving feedback following a father-daughter dance on “Dancing With the Stars,” People reported.
Hough, 40, recently shared with People his excitement for becoming a first-time dad.
“Going to Disneyland, or going on trips, and just seeing their wonderment, and their eyes, just wide open,” he said. “I can’t wait to experience things for the first time, with my beautiful child.”