Derek Hough broke the news to wife Hayley Erbert after being hospitalized

Derek Hough says his wife, Hayley Erbert, is “on the long road to recovery” after she was hospitalized and had a heart attack earlier this week.

“Hayley has always inspired me with her heart, her strength, and her resilience and never more so than in the last 48 hours,” the Dance with the Stars the judge wrote on Friday Instagram. “He is now on the long road to recovery.”

“Words cannot express our gratitude and appreciation for the support and love you have given us,” Hough said. “The kindness shown to us during this time is unspeakable and life changing immeasurable. The offers of help that have poured in have been very humbling and appreciated.”

He concluded, “Our hope is to be a family, possible in another way and a way to pay it forward.”

Hough announced on social media on Wednesday that Erbert was taken to the hospital after he “confused” at the end of their Symphony of Dance concert stop in Washington, D.C. There, he wrote ai, “suffered a cranial hematoma from the explosion and required an emergency craniectomy” and was in “stable condition.”

In the comments of Hough’s latest update, fellow stars Nina Dobrev, Chrishell Stause, and Emma Slater shared their support for the couple.

“You don’t have to pay any more prayers,” Dance with the Stars written by cohost Alfonso Ribeiro. “We are holding you all in our hearts.”

Jennifer Love Hewitt added, “The prayer never stopped and never stopped. So glad you found each other and wonderful families to help him and you. Sending you all healing and love.”

DWTS Season 32 contestant Mira Sorvino wrote, “I’m so touched to hear that he’s on the mend. Thank God! Our family sends you all our love!!”

Hough and Erbert, who first met in the So you think you can dance tour in 2013, began a relationship years later when he joined the Dancing With the Stars troupe. The couple became engaged in 2022 after five years of dating and married in August.

Erbert is recovering from an illness. An earlier version of this post said he had a craniotomy.

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