Hayley Erbert 'Started Losing It' Watching Footage from Her Recovery onDancing with the Stars(Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Hayley Erbert Hough appeared in the ‘Dancing with the Stars’ ballroom for Dedication Night on October 15, 2024.Photo:Disney/Eric McCandless

Disney/Eric McCandless

Hayley Erbert Houghwas admittedly feeling a whole heap of emotions followingher return to theDancing with the Starsballroom.On Tuesday, Oct. 15, the pro dancer and her husbandDerek Houghperformed a beautiful and tear-filled routine toBenson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” after an emotional package traced the harrowing health journey Erbert Hough has faced this year.“When they played the package, that’s when I started losing it, because I actually haven’t seen a lot of the footage in quite some time, because I’ve just been focusing on progressing every single day,” Erbert Hough tells PEOPLE. “And so to go back to that, I was just flooded with emotions.“In December,Herbert was hospitalized for a cranial hematomaduring her and Hough’s ongoing tour andunderwent an emergency craniectomy.In the footage, Hough, 39, saidhe was told his wife was “essentially dying” before the emergency surgery. “[The doctor] said that she might not make it and that even if she does make it, she don’t be the same person."(L-R) Hayley Erbert Hough and Derek Hough on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on October 15, 2024.Disney/Eric McCandlessErbert Hough tells PEOPLE it was “extremely special” to return to the DWTS ballroom after such a tumultuous year.“This fall was always the most welcoming energy and it was beautiful to be here, to be able to share it with him. And I’m just grateful to be here.“Hough tells PEOPLE that the couple’s performance “was just sort of the beginning of telling the full story.““We shared a little bit more video and photos of what had happened to show us something to the extent of the severity of it. But this is the beginning, and there’s so much more to tell this story and we’re so excited to share the rest of it.“He admits that for awhile " it was not even a thought like, ‘Oh, we’re going to dance again,’ honestly.““And then to be here, it’s unbelievable. It’s just hard to put it into words.“The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!(L-R) Hayley Erbert Hough and Derek Hough perform during Dedication Night on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on October 15, 2024.Disney/Eric McCandlessErbert says that it was “such a traumatic experience” and a “difficult time,” but she’s focusing on “being grateful for even the smallest things.“She says gratitude “in those moments [was] so, so important and so powerful because it brought me into a better state — mentally and physically — just to be grateful for all the things in my life. And I truly have so much to be grateful for, even in a time like that.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Dancing with the Starsairs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ and streams the next day on Hulu.

Hayley Erbert Houghwas admittedly feeling a whole heap of emotions followingher return to theDancing with the Starsballroom.

On Tuesday, Oct. 15, the pro dancer and her husbandDerek Houghperformed a beautiful and tear-filled routine toBenson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” after an emotional package traced the harrowing health journey Erbert Hough has faced this year.

“When they played the package, that’s when I started losing it, because I actually haven’t seen a lot of the footage in quite some time, because I’ve just been focusing on progressing every single day,” Erbert Hough tells PEOPLE. “And so to go back to that, I was just flooded with emotions.”

In December,Herbert was hospitalized for a cranial hematomaduring her and Hough’s ongoing tour andunderwent an emergency craniectomy.

In the footage, Hough, 39, saidhe was told his wife was “essentially dying” before the emergency surgery. “[The doctor] said that she might not make it and that even if she does make it, she don’t be the same person.”

(L-R) Hayley Erbert Hough and Derek Hough on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on October 15, 2024.Disney/Eric McCandless

Erbert Hough tells PEOPLE it was “extremely special” to return to the DWTS ballroom after such a tumultuous year.

“This fall was always the most welcoming energy and it was beautiful to be here, to be able to share it with him. And I’m just grateful to be here.”

Hough tells PEOPLE that the couple’s performance “was just sort of the beginning of telling the full story.”

“We shared a little bit more video and photos of what had happened to show us something to the extent of the severity of it. But this is the beginning, and there’s so much more to tell this story and we’re so excited to share the rest of it.”

He admits that for awhile " it was not even a thought like, ‘Oh, we’re going to dance again,’ honestly.”

“And then to be here, it’s unbelievable. It’s just hard to put it into words.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

(L-R) Hayley Erbert Hough and Derek Hough perform during Dedication Night on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ on October 15, 2024.Disney/Eric McCandless

Erbert says that it was “such a traumatic experience” and a “difficult time,” but she’s focusing on “being grateful for even the smallest things.”

She says gratitude “in those moments [was] so, so important and so powerful because it brought me into a better state — mentally and physically — just to be grateful for all the things in my life. And I truly have so much to be grateful for, even in a time like that.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Dancing with the Starsairs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+ and streams the next day on Hulu.

source: people.com