Julianne Hough Shares Sister-In-Law’s Health Scare Impacted Their Family

Julianne Hough emphasizes that, despite disagreements, her family always stands together during critical moments.

In an interview with People magazine, leading up to the release of her forthcoming novel, Everything We Never Knew, the former “Dancing with the Stars” pro and now co-host shared how her family rallied after her sister-in-law Hayley Erbert faced a health emergency late last year.

Erbert’s Numerous Surgeries And ‘Miraculous’ Recovery

Julianne’s older brother, Derek Hough, 39, who is also a professional dancer, tied the knot with 29-year-old Erbert in August 2023. By December, Derek revealed that his wife had undergone emergency surgery due to a cranial hematoma following a performance during their Symphony of Dance tour.

After several surgeries and what Derek described as a “miraculous” recovery, the couple resumed their tour in the spring, which had been on hold due to Erbert’s health issues.

Julianne, 36, expressed to People, “When something tragic occurs, like what just happened with Derek and Hayley, there could have been minor issues lingering, but it became a fresh start.

Whatever oddness may have existed, we genuinely care deeply, and people want to help. When you face life-or-death situations, nothing else is significant.”

Social Media Support and Erbert’s Return to Dance

Following Derek’s announcement about Erbert’s hospitalization on December 7, Julianne reposted his Instagram message to her Instagram Story, asking followers to “Please pray and send all your love, healing, and light to Hayley and Derek.” She added, “Thank you from the depths of our (families’) hearts!”

On April 5, Erbert posted on Instagram about her return to dancing. “Being able to get back on stage and dance with my love after such a tumultuous past four months feels like a blessing and a surprise. My healing journey has been nothing short of extraordinary, and dancing again is fueling my recovery even more,” she wrote in the caption of a rehearsal video.

She continued, “I am deeply grateful to the doctors who supported my decision to return to dancing and to my team of specialists who have prioritized my health and safety. I can’t wait for everyone to see this show! It was meaningful when we opened last year, but after everything that has happened, it feels even more special now.”

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Family Dynamics And Desire For Connection

Derek and Julianne, along with their siblings Sharee, Marabeth, and Katherine, were raised in a Mormon household and spent their early years in Utah before moving to England for professional dance training.

Speaking about their family dynamics, Julianne shared with People, “I feel incredibly blessed to have the family I do, even when we’re not all in agreement or when we don’t always share the same beliefs or perspectives. Our deepest desire is to connect with one another. So, the most painful thing is when we feel disconnected.”

She continued, “Sometimes, to protect yourself, you do the thing that hurts the most, which is to distance yourself. Our family is just like any other; we have our situations…but our deepest desire is to stay connected, and I think we all share a strong desire to make that happen.”

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