Derek Hough reveals wife Hayley needs ‘skull implant’ to ‘replace a piece that was removed’ during her emergency brain surgery: ‘She still has a ways to go’
Derek Hough appeared online Friday to share a health update on his wife Hayley Erbert following her emergency brain surgery last week.
The 38-year-old professional dancer – whose 29-year-old husband underwent a craniectomy last week – shared a video clip of herself wearing a helmet as they walked along the National Mall in Washington DC.
Along with the outtake, he revealed that Hayley is still in the middle of a difficult recovery and will need a 'skull implant' to help improve her condition.
“Her recovery process was nothing short of a miracle,” he wrote. 'She still has some way to go with another surgery, hopefully in a few weeks, to insert a cranial implant to replace the piece removed during the craniectomy.'
Derek added: 'It will restore the skull to its natural shape and protect the brain from injury.'
Derek Hough appeared online Friday to share a health update on his wife Hayley Erbert following her emergency brain surgery last week
The 38-year-old professional dancer – whose 29-year-old husband underwent a craniectomy last week – shared a video clip of herself wearing a helmet as they walked past the Washington monument
In the lengthy caption, he also described the couple's “challenging journey.”
“As you all know, this past week has been a challenging journey for us due to a life-threatening event that suddenly entered our lives. It was a time full of uncertainty and fear, which quickly turned from fulfilling our dreams on stage into a nightmare. But today we are filled with hope and relief as we share an update with you,” he wrote.
He then wrote to his 3.2 million followers: “Hayley is doing well.”
Expressing his gratitude, the choreographer added: “Thank you for the incredible support and medical care she received.
'It's 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.”
Hough continued, “We cannot thank you enough for your continued support, messages, prayers and undeniable loving energy that we have both felt during this time.”
“While this isn't the holiday season either of us envisioned, we are incredibly grateful for it,” he reflected.
The message concluded: “We look forward to cherishing these moments with a deeper appreciation for life and the people in it. We love you all With sincere thanks, Hayley and Derek.'
It comes after the former Dancing with the Stars pro said a week ago that Hayley had begun a long road to recovery.
Along with the outtake, he wrote a lengthy caption detailing the couple's “challenging journey.”
The couple pictured in West Hollywood in March 2022
Hough previously spoke about Hayley's health on his Instagram account, sharing that his wife “became disoriented and was taken to the hospital” after a performance in DC.
He revealed that “she was diagnosed with a cranial hematoma due to a ruptured blood vessel and required emergency craniectomy.”
The surgery is a procedure in which a piece of the skull is removed to reduce swelling of the brain.
At the time, Derek noted that his wife was in stable condition.