By Gavin Boyle
Being a dad has completely changed DANCING WITH THE STARS’ Derek Hough’s outlook on life, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I always felt like I knew I wanted to be a dad,” Hough told Parents. “It hasn’t been surprising, but it’s been rewarding to see my beautiful wife, just to see what a wonderful mother she is, and how she takes to it, and I just love seeing it.”
He and his wife, Hayley Erbert, welcomed daughter Everley Capri on Dec. 29, 2025.
Related: Derek Hough Loves Fatherhood at 40: ‘It’s All Brand New’
While Hough always knew he wanted to be a father, he did not quite understand what it would mean to be a parent until he was actually holding his daughter in his arms. On the night of the Grammys, for example, he did not make it to a charity event because he was spending time with Everley instead.
“I held [my daughter] before I was gonna leave, and she fell asleep in my arms. And I was like, ‘Well, I’m not going anywhere. I’m not gonna put her down,” Hough explained. “I remember telling my wife, I really don’t want to go. I’m finding it hard to walk out the door.”
Hough and Erbert announced they were pregnant last July.
“We can’t believe the biggest thing to happen to us could be so small ♥️,” the couple captioned a joint video post on July 22.
The birth of their daughter has been extra special given that Hayley had a very serious brain bleed at the end of 2023 that nearly cost her her life. While she has since made a full recovery, the worse case scenario outcome of that event makes the birth of their daughter even sweeter.
“During that time, I was realizing how important she is not just in my love, my life, but just in everyday things,” Hough said about the weeks after his wife’s brain bleed. “I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t even know how to do that,’ or ‘I don’t know how to ask,’ Hayley does, that’s how reliant you are on her…It was a moment to step up for sure. In many, many ways. I thought she was strong. And I had no idea. I actually had no idea how strong she was really until just a couple months ago.”
It is wonderful to see Hough, who is incredibly busy, put his schedule aside for the sake of his daughter and focus on being present with her rather than prioritizing the things that mean so much less.
Read Next: Derek Hough Uses Christian Music to Prepare for Upcoming Baby
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