Julianne Hough has been a rock for her family throughout sister-in-law Hayley Erbert’s recent health scare.
“The more you can trust yourself and know you’re in a secure place, then you can have the capacity for others,” Julianne, 35, shared in a recent interview with E! News when asked about Derek Hough and his wife. “With their situation, being able to be a very stable force was needed — and I think appreciated — because I could get things done that they weren’t thinking about.”
She continued: “We only have ourselves at the end of the day, and the more you can connect to yourself, the more you can relate and have compassion and empathy for the people around you.”
Derek, 38, revealed via Instagram in December 2023 that Erbert, 29, had been hospitalized with a “cranial hematoma from a burst blood vessel” following a Washington, D.C. performance of his A Symphony of Dance tour. He went on to share that she “required an emergency craniectomy” and was “in stable condition.”
At the time, Julianne asked fans to “please pray and send all your love, healing and light to Hayley and Derek” via her Instagram Story. “Thank you from the depths of our families [sic] hearts! ❤️.”
Erbert underwent a second successful surgery later that month to restore part of her skull that was removed during her craniectomy. “This surgery marks a significant milestone in my wife’s recovery journey, and your support has played a crucial role in getting us here,” Derek captioned an Instagram photo of himself at the side of Erbert’s hospital bed. “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.
Julianne continued to show her support for the couple, who wed in August 2023, ahead of the family’s holiday celebrations. “Holding my family extra tight this holiday season ❤️,” she captioned an Instagram slideshow featuring pics with Derek and Erbert.
Erbert broke her silence on her recovery soon after, sharing an Instagram photo of herself and Derek kissing underneath a Christmas tree. “Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas! 🎄 Cherishing the greatest gift of all. The precious gift of life and the love we share,” she captioned the sweet pic, in which she wore a green polka dot head scarf. “Hold your loved ones close and treasure every moment ♥️.”
Throughout her recovery, Erbert has continued to open up about her health status, noting in an Instagram video last month that she has both “really good days and really bad days.”
“A new haircut, a new scar, a new sac of fluid on the side of my face, which is supposed to eventually go away,” she continued. “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.”
Earlier this month, Erbert made her first public appearance since her health scare at the opening of Julianne’s new Kinrgy Fitness Studio in West Hollywood. “Our KINRGY West Hollywood Grand Opening did NOT disappoint! What an incredible night celebrating the most amazing team and hard work we put in to the launch,” Julianne captioned an Instagram video from the event, which featured a clip of her posing with Erbert and Derek. “I can’t wait for you all to come take class with our astonishing Guides. You are in for a real treat!”
