Derek Hough was in tears over a surprise birthday gift from his wife, Hayley Erbert. The “Dancing with the Stars” judge was visibly moved after his wife set up a special surprise inside their California home in honor of his milestone 40th birthday.
In an Instagram post, Hough shared a look at the dozens of balloons, photos, and messages he was greeted with after he returned home from a trip. The six-time mirrorball champion called the surprise “the greatest gift” he has ever received.
Hough turned 40 on May 17.
Derek Hough Says the Greatest Gift Is Love
In the video shared with fans, Hough was seen walking through the entryway of his home through a maze of balloons and photos with personal messages on them. He began to cry as he read some of the messages from his loved ones.
“After a week away, I walked into our home and saw the most amazing thing — balloons hanging from the ceiling and each with a picture and a personalized note from a friend or family member,” he said in a voiceover. “The amount of love and sincerity in each note completely just overwhelmed me. They had personalized stories, just funny moments, made me laugh, and of course, made me cry.”
“I’m so thankful for my beautiful, creative wife, Hayley, for just bringing everyone together to create such a special and incredible moment,” Hough added. “This is a gift I’ll cherish forever. It might sound a little corny, but it’s a good reminder that the most precious gift is love.”
Hough also captioned the clip with a thank you to his wife of nearly two years. “She always goes above and beyond to celebrate me,” he shared. “My love language is words of affirmation, and she jokes there’s no better way to celebrate than with beautiful words from those who matter most. She’s absolutely right. I’ll cherish this forever. “
Fans and friends from the DWTS world reacted to the special gift.
“This is so beautiful,” wrote former DWTS pro Kym Johnson Herjavec.
“You are one very lucky man my friend ❤️ happy birthday 🎉🎂,” wrote fellow pro dancer Emma Slater.
“Turned out so beautiful @hayley.erbert what a gift you are to our amazing brother ❤️,” added Julianne Hough.
Derek Hough Reflected on His Life in a 40th Birthday Post
Hough shared his own message with fans on his 40th birthday. In a post on Instagram, he revealed “Turning 40 today has me in my feels, reflecting on life.”
He then shared a snippet of a song he has been working on in honor of his 40-year milestone. “I have so many songs chilling in my files unfinished and unpolished. Maybe someday I’ll share them as raw little expression,” he wrote. “I’m so grateful for where I am today, with so much more to improve upon but so much to be grateful for. Surrounded by love, doing what I love, and sharing it with you all. “
Erbert also shared a tribute post for her husband. “Happy 40th Birthday to my favorite person ever,” she wrote on Instagram on May 17. “This world has been blessed for 4 decades with your presence and I’m lucky to have had you in my life for one of those.”
Erbert then posted an extensive list of things she loves about Hough.
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Derek Hough in Tears Over 40th Birthday Surprise