Derek Hough says he noticed his wife, dancer Hayley Erbert, seemed uncomfortable during their December 6, 2023, Symphony of Dance performance at MGM National Harbor. He initially thought she had a neck problem. When she did not return for a later segment, the stage manager told him she would not be coming back onstage; Hough learned more about the medical emergency afterward.
What Hough says happened onstage
In a recollection reported by Yahoo on October 15, 2025, Hough described noticing Erbert’s discomfort near the end of the performance. He said he thought the issue might be her neck and tried to protect her as they continued. When she was absent from a later segment, the stage manager told him she was not coming out. The account was reported from an October 10 episode of the Sibling Revelry podcast.
Hough recalled the contrast between performing and what was happening nearby: “The irony of it all was that, in that moment, I’m talking about a friend of mine that passed away, and I’m talking about how fragile and precious life is and how it’s fleeting and that we cherish the ones that we love; meanwhile, she’s literally dying on the side of the stage.” Yahoo reported the statement as Hough’s account; the podcast audio was not independently reviewed for this article.
Yahoo’s report also quotes Hough recalling that about 4,000 people were at the performance. That is his reported estimate, not a separately verified attendance figure.
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What was reported about Erbert’s emergency
MedStar Washington Hospital Center identified MGM National Harbor as the venue and said Erbert was taken to its hospital, where neurosurgeon Jeffrey Mai performed emergency surgery. Yahoo reported that she was diagnosed with a cranial hematoma and required emergency surgery. Those diagnosis and treatment details come from published reporting and the hospital’s post, not independently reviewed medical records.
What Hough later said about the doctors’ warning
In an October 2024 interview account, Hough said doctors warned him that Erbert might not survive and might not be the same person. This is Hough’s recollection of what doctors told him, not a direct statement from a physician.
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What the reports establish about her return
Access Hollywood reported in October 2024 on Hough and Erbert returning to Dancing with the Stars. The reporting documents a return to performance in 2024, but it does not establish Erbert’s current health condition.
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Timeline
- December 6, 2023: The emergency occurred during the couple’s Symphony of Dance performance at MGM National Harbor, according to MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
- After the performance: MedStar says Erbert was taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, where Mai performed emergency surgery.
- October 2024: Access Hollywood reported on the couple’s return to Dancing with the Stars and Hough’s account of the doctors’ warning.
- October 10, 2025: The Sibling Revelry podcast episode featuring Hough’s recollection aired, according to Yahoo.
- October 15, 2025: Yahoo published its account of the episode.
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