Dancing With the Stars' Val Chmerkovskiy Opens Up About Heart-Wrenching Performance After Wife's Miscarriage

A Heartbreaking Revelation
Val Chmerkovskiy, professional dancer from Dancing With the Stars, recently shared a deeply personal story about performing just after his wife, Jenna Johnson, experienced a miscarriage. Reflecting on the emotional turmoil, Val took to Instagram on March 31 to candidly discuss the experience, posting a video from the impromptu performance with his brother, Maks Chmerkovskiy.

A Devastating Moment Behind the Scenes
In his post, Val revealed that he was originally set to perform with Jenna, but the miscarriage forced her to step back. Instead, Maks stepped in. Val wrote, "My wife was literally in the room upstairs in absolute agony emotionally and physically, and I had never personally felt such loss myself. I was numb, I was empty, and all I could think about was Jenna."

Despite his heartache, Val pushed through the performance, citing the pressure of not wanting to let people down: "But I put on a smile and I put on my big boy pants and I did what I’d done my entire life, make sure I didn’t let anyone down." He questioned himself, asking, "When does one get the license to give up? When is it ok to not show up?"

A Private Pain Made Public
Val expressed how confusing it was to perform while his wife was suffering. He admitted to telling Maks that Jenna had hurt her neck, sparing her the attention and allowing the show to go on. Now, years later, the couple has a son, Rome, born in January 2023, but the pain of that moment still lingers.

Jenna's Side of the Story
Jenna Johnson also spoke out about the miscarriage on the MomForce podcast in June 2023, recalling the traumatic experience during a rehearsal in Dallas, Texas. She described rushing back to the hotel room after realizing something was wrong and said, "I’m just gushing blood. And I end up miscarrying in our room. It was just terrible."

The ordeal left Jenna in a deep depression for eight months. She later found solace in sharing her story, realizing that she was not alone: "It just became so apparent to me, I am not alone in this, and this is something that needs to be spoken about."

Val and Jenna’s story sheds light on the often-hidden pain behind public performances, reminding others that it’s okay to not always be strong.