“Dancing With The Stars” alum Val Chmerkovskiy has revealed that he suffered a significant neck injury in 2023 that required surgery.
He took to Instagram on Thursday to share a video of himself lying in a hospital bed hooked up to tubes after his operation. He also posted images of his neck and x-rays of his spine that showed the damage. The 37-year-old reflected on the challenging year and his battle to recover after the surgical procedure.
“This time last year I went through some stuff,” he wrote.
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Chmerkovskiy shared a photo of himself in a neck brace and hooked up to an IV drip. A female voice could be heard in the video, presumably that of his wife, Jenna Johnson.
“Okay, time to walk around!” she says.
“Let’s do it,” Chmerkovskiy responds.
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The famous dancer showed his 1.2 million followers the scar on his neck, which was surrounded by bruising and swelling after the surgical procedure.
An image of him cuddling his son, Rome, was also in the photo gallery posted to social media, as well as an image of him lying in bed with his dog.
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He also posted a short video clip from his dancing days, showcasing his full mobility and his stellar dance moves. One of the images in his gallery seemed to be a childhood photo, but there was no further context offered as to the meaning behind that particular shot. (RELATED: Pink Reveals She Underwent Major Surgery)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 09: (L-R) Val Chmerkovskiy and Xochitl Gomez attend the BoxLunch Holiday Gala Honoring Feeding America at Academy LA on November 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Steven Simione/Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 18: (L-R) Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy and Val Chmerkovskiy attend the Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild’s 11th Annual MUAHS Awards at The Beverly Hilton on February 18, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 18: (L-R) Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy and Val Chmerkovskiy speak onstage during the Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild’s 11th Annual MUAHS Awards at The Beverly Hilton on February 18, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)
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Chmerkovskiy previously hinted that something was wrong, when he shared a post in March 2023 saying he “almost lost” his “ability to move.” He offered no further information at that time. This latest post provided some of the missing information, but stopped short of telling fans exactly what caused the dancer’s neck injury.
LOOK AT HIM GO!