Derek Hough's Wife Hayley Erbert 'Grateful to Be Alive' in First Appearance Since Craniectomy: 'New Year, New Skull'

Derek Hough and wife Hayley Erbert are finally opening up about their frightening health emergency.

Two months after Erbert, 29, was hospitalized and underwent a craniectomy, the couple posted a raw and emotional Instagram video reflecting on the experience and her ongoing recovery.

“It’s been wild going from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. But I have 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,” Hough, 38, said. “She really is a miracle and it’s been miraculous and it’s still a journey.”

“To this day, I still have really good days and I have really bad days — emotionally and physically sometimes — but I’m doing so much better every single day,” Erbert added. “Truly there is so much progress every day and I’m so grateful for that.”

Related: Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert Celebrate First Christmas Together as She Recovers From Skull Surgery

Erbert then recalled a moment in the hospital when she had just woken up from her first surgery and Hough told her how many people were thinking of her and sending her love. She admitted that her husband didn’t even have to tell her that because she “genuinely felt that through my body, in my heart, in my soul.”

“Thank you all so much for all of your messages, your love, your energy, your light, your prayers,” Erbert said in tears. “Thank you guys for all of it because it means so much to me and to us as a family. And genuinely, I believe it’s what’s gotten me through this a little bit faster and it’s what helped me heal. It’s what helped me stay positive throughout the entire experience.”

“It’s a new year, it’s a new haircut,” Hough said as Erbert smiled and showed off her short hair and the surgery scar on the top of her head.

“A new haircut, a new scar, a new sac of fluid on the side of my face, which is supposed to eventually go away,” Erbert said with a laugh. “A new skull. But also a new outlook on life. Life is so precious. Spend time with the ones you love. Hold them close cause you never know what could happen.”

Erbert added that she’s “grateful to be alive and be here to tell my story.” Hough also said the couple will eventually share more details about the health scare with fans.

Related: Derek Hough’s Wife Hayley Erbert Underwent An Emergency Craniectomy — What to Know About the Brain Surgery

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Hough first announced on Instagram that Erbert suffered symptoms of a cranial hematoma — when blood collects in the skull — after their Symphony of Dance tour stop in the city on Dec. 6.

In an update shared on his website, the Dancing with the Stars judge revealed that his wife was diagnosed with a cranial hematoma from a burst blood vessel and required an emergency craniectomy. Erbert was rushed into her emergency surgery on Dec. 7.

Following her surgery, Hough provided his social media followers with regular updates on his wife's condition and thanked them for their ongoing support.

"With immense relief, gratitude and overwhelming joy I’d like to share that Hayley’s cranioplasty surgery has been successfully completed as planned," he wrote.

Related: A Timeline of Hayley Erbert's Health Scare and Her Ongoing Recovery

"My sincere appreciation goes to the exceptional medical team,” he continued. “Their expertise and steady hands were pivotal in this journey, ensuring a smooth and successful surgery. Especially Dr. Mai who not only performed the surgery but was also the one who saved her life 2 weeks ago."

"This surgery marks a significant milestone in my wife’s recovery journey, and your support has played a crucial role in getting us here,” Hough said at the time. “We are filled with hope and optimism for the future, knowing she is on the path to a full recovery, surrounded by such a loving community."

Hough and Erbert tied the knot in August 2023 in California just over a year after getting engaged in June 2022.

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