Derek Hough’s wife, Hayley Erbert, is feeling grateful that she got to spend the holidays with her husband following her recent health scare.
“Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas! 🎄,” Erbert, 29, captioned an Instagram photo of herself and Hough, 38 kissing in front of their Christmas tree on Monday, December 25. “Cherishing the greatest gift of all. The precious gift of life and the love we share.”
Matching the tree, Erbret sported a pair of green pajamas and a green polka dot head scarf, which covered any evidence of her recent surgery, while Hough kept things cozy in a gray long-sleeved T-shirt. Erbert wrapped up her message by writing, “Hold your loved ones close and treasure every moment ♥️.”
Derek’s sister, Julianne Hough, praised her sister-in-law in the post’s comments, calling her their “Christmas miracle.” Fellow Dancing With the Stars cast members also shared their well-wishes for Erbert. “Love you guys. Merry Christmas. Looking great,” wrote Julianne’s cohost, Alfonso Ribeiro, while judge Carrie Ann Inaba commented, “So good to see you! Merry Christmas! 🎄🎁 sending you so much love ❤️.”
Erbert’s Christmas Day photo marks her first Instagram post since suffering a cranial hematoma earlier this month. Derek informed fans via Instagram on December 7 that Erbert was hospitalized following a Washington D.C. performance of his tour, A Symphony of Dance, the night prior and underwent an emergency craniectomy. “She is in stable condition,” Derek noted at the time.
Ahead of the holiday weekend, Erbert underwent a second surgery to restore the part of her skull that was removed during her original procedure. “With immense relief, gratitude and overwhelming joy I’d like to share that Hayley’s cranioplasty surgery has been successfully completed as planned,” Derek captioned a pic of himself sitting by his wife’s hospital bed on Thursday, December 21.
He continued: “This surgery marks a significant milestone in my wife’s recovery journey, and your support has played a crucial role in getting us here. 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.”
Derek has continuously shared updates on Erbert’s condition with fans online while also sharing his appreciation for the support he and his family have received amid her recovery. “Thank you for the incredible support and medical care she has received,” he wrote alongside an Instagram video of him and Hayley walking along the National Mall in Washington D.C. on December 15. “It’s been 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.”
In another Instagram post, Derek praised Erbert for inspiring him with “her will, her strength, and her resilience” following her health scare. “She is now on the long road of recovery. Words cannot express how grateful and thankful we are for the support and love that you have given us,” he wrote on December 8. “The kindness that we’ve been shown in this incredibly unfathomable, and life-changing time is immeasurable. … Our hope is that as a family, we can somehow pay it forward.”
