‘I’m literally joking’: ‘Dancing with the Stars’ fans reacted emotionally to Derek Hough and Hayley Ebert’s dance about her health problems

On October 17, 2024By Yukito

Dancing with the Stars Season 33 is already halfway through TV schedule for 2024and Dedication Night turned out to be exciting. Each show was dedicated to a person who made an impact on the contestant’s life, whether it was a loved one, friend, mentor, etc. In the show turned an unlikely contender into a top contenderone dedication had fans sobbing. Hayley Erbert Hough returned to the ballroom following her medical emergency last year with husband Derek Hough and there were tons of sweet reactions.

Last December Hough revealed that Erbert was taken to the hospital after she became disoriented during a tour of Washington, D.C., she was ultimately diagnosed with a cranial hematoma resulting from a ruptured blood vessel and underwent an emergency craniectomy. A few weeks later she had cranioplasty. In the spring, Erbert returned to tour with Hough, dancing and pouring her heart out throughout her recovery.

During Dedication Night, the couple danced to a stripped-down version of Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things.” And I’m not sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the ballroom. The Dancing with the Stars Instagram shared photos from the performance, and many fans, as well as several professionals, shared emotional reactions:

No words. ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. Our wonderful girl 🤍🤍 –Jenny Johnson
That’s all – Emma Slater
Up there with a tribute to Len and the best dances of all time. – juliamarchhhh
It literally roars with such a wonderful dance and a beautiful couple with an amazing story – ally.willeke
so we’re all crying in our living rooms, right?😭😭 –amethyst_joy

I was also an emotional mess, not only watching their performance, but also watching their package that played earlier. In it, the dancers discussed much loved Hayley Erbert a journey that was nothing short of a miracle.

Honestly, Ebert exuded a lot of courage and strength, especially considering it wasn’t even certain if he would be able to walk again, let alone dance. And just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. After the performance, Hough shared several reactions on his Instagram Story, including one from a fan. And it perfectly describes how many people felt:

Derek Hough posts a DWTS story to a fan on Instagram.

(Photo: Derek Hough)

From the beginning of the package to the end of the show and even when co-hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough I talked to them, tears flowed from the audience. Even Julianne couldn’t stop crying, remembering what her sister-in-law had gone through. Another fan that Derek Hough reposted on his IG just said he was sobbing and posted a lot of sad emojis. I’m right there with them, honestly:

Derek Hough posts to a fan about DWTS on Instagram.

(Photo: Derek Hough)

This couple’s dance was definitely the most emotional and impactful of the night and I can’t imagine what they must be feeling, especially Hayley Erbert, seeing all these emotional reactions. While her journey clearly hasn’t been easy, this may be one of the most triumphant returns ever shown DWTS. I don’t know about any of you, but I personally couldn’t be happier.

There’s no word on whether Hayley Erbert Hough will be returning to the ballroom any time soon, but it seems like she’s ready to make a full return to dancing. There is a chance that if she continues to dance, she will have the support of many admirers.

In the meantime, fans can look forward to next week’s Disney Night, and if history is any indication, it’s going to be a lot of fun! Watch new episodes of “Dancing with the Stars” Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. They can be streamed for Disney+ subscription also.