Sisters sticking together. Dancing With the Stars pro Jenna Johnson couldn’t be more proud of her sister-in-law Peta Murgatroyd for opening up about her fertility struggles.
“As a family [we’ve] obviously known about this and her struggles with it,” Johnson, 28, exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, June 27, while sharing her daily footsore routing and promoting the new Kerasal Athlete’s Foot products. “She’s kept it very private for the past two years. So when I saw the beautiful piece that they did and that she finally opened up, I just called her and told her how proud I am of her, because I know how much heartbreak that brought her and how badly she wants another baby.”
Murgatroyd, 35, and her husband Maks Chmerkovskiy, 42, recently spoke out about the three miscarriages they suffered over the past two years, following the New Zealand native’s battle with COVID-19.
It’s the type of courage and transparency that, Johnson, who is married to Max’s brother Valentin “Val” Chmerkovskiy, applauds and believes can make a significant difference in other people’s lives.
“For her to come out publicly and to share her story, I just think that she was there for so many women who don’t feel like they’re heard and who are experiencing exactly what she’s going through,” the California native told Us on Monday. “You know, if you look at the numbers, it’s like one and every four women will have a miscarriage or infertility. So It’s more common than not.”
Johnson explained that because “so many people look up” to Murgatroyd, fans tend to be disillusioned into thinking she “has a perfect life.” To bravely “come out and share these vulnerable things,” she added, “I think is so admirable.”
When it comes to Murgatroyd’s fertility struggles, there is one thing Johnson absolutely relates to — the pressure felt from fans who demand to know when the next baby may come.
“I think it’s a really insensitive question, actually,” she explained. “You never know what someone’s going through and the amount of DM’s and comments, you know, ‘When are you going to have a baby?” It adds pressure, but it’s also nobody’s business.”
Johnson added that fans are not only unaware of “what I’ve gone through,” but also aren’t privy to “what we want in the future,” calling her sister-in-law a “great” example of that.
“You’re adding salt in the wound, so let’s just avoid being in people’s business about that kind of stuff,” the dancer explained. “If I’m not asking you, you just probably don’t ask me.”
For now, she and Val are just enjoying their off time from Dancing With the Stars, spending their days “finding out what their routine is” while living in Los Angeles, Johnson revealed. The couple are also “traveling a ton,” trying to “enjoy their “downtime before things get crazy” with the upcoming DWTS season — something in which Johnson says Val is more than ready to begin.
“He is snatched,” the TV personality gushed to Us about her husband’s current physique. “He’s chiseled and he’s really inspired right now. So I’m like a little, like, ‘OK. Watch out.’ I think he’s really excited for this next season.”
Johnson, for her part, is all about focusing on foot health in preparation for the dancing competition’s next installment.
“I’m always looking for something that’s gonna help my feet thrive during the season, and especially being a dancer, sweating so much, we are prone to getting athletes foot and these products not only help prevent [that] but I love my heels and sandals and it also helps with skin appearance,” she explained of the Kerasal Athlete’s foot line. “So I don’t have to be insecure about having some cute open-toe shoes. I’m really in love with their products.”
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
