Derek Hough’s wife, Hayley Erbert (now Hayley Erbert Hough), went through a very serious but non-fatal medical emergency a little over two years ago, and is now recovering well and recently became a mom.

Quick Scoop

  • In late 2023, during their dance tour, Hayley suffered a sudden cranial hematoma (bleeding in the skull) and needed an emergency craniectomy (a serious brain surgery). This was widely described as a near-fatal health scare.
  • Derek later recalled that she began having seizures and collapsed offstage, and he described the moment as “she was essentially dying,” emphasizing how close they came to losing her.
  • After surgery and a long recovery, Hayley gradually returned to dancing and eventually performed a special duet with Derek in 2024 that they dedicated to everything they'd been through together.
  • Two years after that emergency, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Everley Capri Hough, born on December 29, 2025, and have been calling her their “miracle” and “rainbow after the storm.”

So, what “happened” to Derek Hough’s wife was a life-threatening brain bleed that required emergency surgery, followed by a long recovery—thankfully, she survived, is back on her feet, and she and Derek are now focused on their new baby and their “new chapter” as parents.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.