Dancing With the Stars Season 33 is already at the mid-way point amid the 2024 TV schedule, and Dedication Night proved to be emotional. Each routine was dedicated to someone who made an impact on a contestant's life, whether it was a loved one, friend, mentor, etc. As the series turned an unexpected contestant into a top contender, one dedication left fans sobbing. Hayley Erbert Hough made a return to the ballroom following her medical emergency last year, with husband Derek Hough, and there were so many sweet reactions.
Last December, Hough revealed that Erbert was taken to the hospital after she became disoriented during a tour stop in D.C. She was ultimately diagnosed with a cranial hematoma that was the result of a burst blood vessel and had an emergency craniectomy. A few weeks later, she had a cranioplasty. By spring, Erbert was back on tour with Hough, dancing and pouring her heart out amidst her recovery.
For Dedication Night, the couple danced to a stripped-down version of Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things.” And I'm not sure there was not a dry eye in the ballroom. The Dancing With the Stars Instagram shared photos from the performance and, a number of fans, as well as some pros, shared emotional reactions:
- No words. ABSOLUTELY STUNNING. Our miracle girl 🤍🤍 -Jenna Johnson
- This is everything - Emma Slater
- Up there with Len’s tribute as best dances ever. - juliamarchhh
- Literally bawling such a gorgeous dance and a beautiful couple with an amazing story - ally.willeke
- so we’re all sobbing in our living rooms rn??😭😭 -amethyst_joyyy
I was also an emotional mess due to not only watching their performance but also seeing their package, which played beforehand. In it, the dancers discussed the much-loved Hayley Erbert's journey, which was nothing short of a miracle.
Quite frankly, Ebert has exuded a lot of courage and strength, especially considering it wasn’t even clear she’d be able to walk again, let alone dance. And just thinking about it making me tear up. Following the performance, Hough shared some reactions on his Instagram Story, including one from a fan. And it perfectly describes how a number of people were feeling:
From the beginning of the package to the end of the performance, and even when co-hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough were talking to them, the tears were flowing from onlookers. Even Julianne couldn’t stop crying, recalling what her sister-in-law had been through. Another fan that Derek Hough reposted on his IG just said they were sobbing and dropped in plenty of sad emojis. I'm right there with them, to be honest:
The couple's dance was definitely the most emotional and impactful of the night, and I can’t imagine how it must feel for them, Hayley Erbert especially, to see all of these emotional reactions. While her journey clearly wasn't easy, this may be one of the most triumphant comebacks ever to be featured on DWTS. I don't know about any of you, but I personally could not be happier.
Whether or not Hayley Erbert Hough will make another return to the ballroom any time soon is unknown, but she seems to be ready to fully get back to dancing. Chances are that if she does continue to dance, she'll have support from plenty of admirers.
In the meantime, fans canlook forward to Disney Night next week and, if history is any indication, it should be a lot of fun! Make sure to tune in to new episodes of Dancing With the Stars on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, and they're available to stream with a Disney+ subscription as well.
