Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy spent Sunday at the hospital with their three-year-old son, Rome, before Johnson returned to the Dancing With the Stars ballroom days later.
Johnson shared the update on Instagram Stories, reassuring followers that Rome was doing well after the hospital visit. 'Wanna preface this by saying everything's fine now and thank goodness Rome is home sleeping,' Johnson wrote. Chmerkovskiy also posted a photo of Johnson holding their son in a hospital bed, captioned, 'Sunday Funday as a parent'.
Neither Johnson nor Chmerkovskiy publicly disclosed what prompted the latest hospital visit.
A Weekend Scare, Then Back in the Ballroom
The timing put Johnson in a familiar position: managing a family emergency while in the thick of a new season of Dancing With the Stars. She and celebrity partner Harry Shum Jr are competing on season 35, which premiered on 15 and 16 September.
The pair opened the competition with 21 out of 30 for their cha-cha before scoring 18 in the second week. Just two days after Rome's hospital visit, Johnson and Shum Jr returned to the ballroom for Yacht Rock Night on 29 September, earning 24 out of 30 for their jive, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Their score was among the night's strongest, and the pair remain in the competition heading into week four.
Chmerkovskiy, meanwhile, is partnered this season with actress Jenna Dewan. Dewan scored a 19 in week one and tied for the top spot in week two with a 21, keeping both halves of the couple firmly in contention as the competition heads deeper into its run.
Rome's Health Scares Aren't New
This is not the first time Johnson has spoken publicly about Rome needing medical attention.
In May 2024, when Rome was around 15 months old, Johnson said he developed a bad case of croup and struggled to get enough oxygen during a coughing episode. The incident required an ambulance and a paramedic's help. A separate hospital visit followed in October 2025, although his parents did not publicly disclose the reason.
The pro dancer and choreographer has previously shared updates about her son's health with followers, generally following up to confirm when he was stable and recovering at home.
Dancing With the Stars couple Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy spent the weekend in the hospital after their 3-year-old son, Rome, needed medical attention. https://t.co/TbKDK5VyL5
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) September 29, 2026
Johnson and Chmerkovskiy married in April 2019 and welcomed Rome in January 2023. The couple, who are both veteran DWTS professionals, have previously spoken about the challenge of balancing the show's demanding rehearsal and live-taping schedule with raising a toddler, a balance that becomes especially visible whenever a family emergency lands in the middle of a live taping week.
Johnson's DWTS Run Continues
Johnson has previously said she approaches every DWTS season 'with a clean slate', treating each new partnership and competition as its own experience regardless of what's happening off the dance floor. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a third Mirrorball win this season would make her the most decorated female professional in the show's history.
Chmerkovskiy has had his own high points this season, with Dewan's strong early scores putting real pressure on his wife's leaderboard position. For now, both dancers are still standing, Rome is back home recovering, and week four is already on the horizon for the whole family. Neither Johnson nor Chmerkovskiy has indicated that the latest hospital visit will affect their DWTS schedules.
