Derek Hough: Hayley Erbert’s Health & Julianne’s Identity

When a dancer whose life is built on movement and control faces a sudden, life-threatening health crisis, it changes everything. For Derek Hough and his wife Hayley Erbert, that moment came in December 2023, when a routine performance ended in an emergency room.

Born: May 17, 1985 (Salt Lake City, Utah) ·
Profession: Dancer, Choreographer, Actor, TV Personality ·
Emmy Awards: 4 ·
DWTS Championships: 6 ·
Spouse: Hayley Erbert (m. 2023)

Eight facts about Derek Hough, one pattern: a life split between public fame and private struggle.

What happened to Derek Hough’s wife?

What medical condition does Derek Hough’s wife have?

• Hayley Erbert Hough suffered a cranial hematoma in December 2023 immediately following a performance with Derek Hough on their Symphony of Dance tour (Hollywood Life (entertainment news)).
• She underwent emergency craniectomy — a surgery that removes part of the skull to relieve pressure on the brain — and later had a reconstructive surgery to replace the bone (Hollywood Life (entertainment news)).
• Derek Hough confirmed she was in stable condition after the first surgery but noted she had a long road to recovery (Hollywood Life (entertainment news)).

Did Derek Hough do a gender reveal?

• Derek Hough hinted at the baby’s gender in a social media post in early 2025, suggesting the couple was expecting a daughter (E! News (entertainment news)).
• On December 29, 2025, the couple welcomed their daughter, Everley Capri Hough (E! News (entertainment news)).

The pattern: a family that turns life-threatening moments into public milestones. The Houghs have made transparency about health crises part of their brand, and it’s working — Erbert’s recovery story now includes a documentary in production (TV Insider (TV news)).

What does Julianne Hough identify as?

What illness does Julianne Hough have?

• Julianne Hough has not publicly disclosed any specific illness diagnosis. She has discussed freezing her eggs to control her fertility timeline (People (celebrity news)).
• She identified as “not straight” in a 2023 interview with People (celebrity news), clarifying she does not want to label herself rigidly.

For Julianne, the pattern is consistent: she has spent years unpicking the expectations placed on her. Her egg freezing decision, her divorce, and her sexuality are all part of a clear, if difficult, personal reset.

Julianne Hough’s egg freezing decision

• Julianne Hough froze her eggs in her 30s, taking control of her fertility timeline (Parade (lifestyle & entertainment)).
• She has been open about the decision, framing it as a way to avoid pressure about having children.

Is Derek Hough a millionaire?

Is Julianne Hough a millionaire?

• Derek Hough’s net worth is estimated at $2 million, per Parade (lifestyle & entertainment).
• Julianne Hough’s net worth is estimated at $10 million, accumulated through her career as a dancer, actress, and singer (Parade (lifestyle & entertainment)).

Two siblings, two very different fortunes. Derek’s wealth comes primarily from television judging and touring; Julianne’s from a broader entertainment portfolio including film and music. The gap is notable but not surprising given their divergent career paths.

Derek Hough’s height

• Derek Hough stands approximately 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)).

Are Derek and Julianne Hough still LDS?

• Both Derek and Julianne Hough were raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in Salt Lake City, Utah (Wikipedia (open encyclopedia)).
• Julianne has publicly distanced herself from the church and no longer practices.
• Derek has not publicly discussed his current religious affiliation.

The implication: Julianne’s break with the LDS church mirrors her broader pattern of rejecting labels — religious, sexual, marital. Derek’s silence on the matter suggests a more private relationship with faith, or perhaps a deliberate avoidance of a topic that could complicate his broad public appeal.

What ended Julianne Hough’s marriage?

• Julianne Hough and Brooks Laich finalized their divorce in 2022 after five years of marriage (People (celebrity news)).
• Julianne stated that the marriage made her feel like a “little girl” and stifled her personal growth (People (celebrity news)).
• The decision was mutual, with both focusing on personal development.

“It made me feel like a little girl.”

— Julianne Hough, on her marriage to Brooks Laich, People (celebrity news)

A terrifying ordeal.

— Derek Hough, on his wife Hayley’s cranial hematoma, People (celebrity news)

I’m not straight.

— Julianne Hough, on her sexuality, People (celebrity news)

I feel really strong and healthy and really amazing.

— Hayley Erbert Hough, two years after brain surgery, TV Insider (TV news)

The implication: Julianne’s divorce was part of a broader pattern of rejecting constraints that had defined her earlier life, from religion to marriage to sexuality.

For readers following the Hough family story, the choice is clear: accept the public narratives at face value, or read between the lines of what has been left unsaid. Derek’s silence on religion, Julianne’s evolving identity, and Hayley’s remarkable recovery all point to one truth — that behind the sequins and spotlights, the Houghs are navigating the same kind of life-altering decisions any family faces, just under much brighter lights.