Sharing his love! Brooks Laich posted a sweet tribute to his brother-in-law, Derek Hough, after encountering trouble in his marriage to Julianne Hough.
“Happy birthday to my bro and one of my absolute favorite adventure buddies, the incomparable @derekhough,” the NHL alum, 36, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, May 17, while sharing a photo of the duo on a boat. “I absolutely love spending time with you D, whether it’s on an epic adventure or just hanging at the house.”
Laich continued, “There’s never a dull moment, and I never know what we’re going to get into – and I love ya for it! Thank you for being you, and the way you have touched my life — I am so grateful for all of it. Love you my man, happy birthday! 🙌💯🎉.”
The retired athlete also shared his birthday tribute to Derek on his Instagram Stories, where he asked his followers to “wish” his relative “a happy birthday if you would be so kind.”
The World of Dance judge, who turned 35 on Sunday, showed his appreciation for Laich’s post by writing: “Epic brotha! Love ya! ❤️ 🙏🏻.”
Julianne, for her part, posted several throwback photos of herself with Derek over the years to her Instagram Stories on Sunday. The 31-year-old dancer led with a photo of her big brother as a kid, writing: “Happy Birthday. I love you D man!”
“The best bud I could ask for,” she wrote in another Instagram Stories post, while noting in another, “[I] can always count on you to do silly things with me.”
Laich has been married to the former America’s Got Talent alum since 2017. At the start of the new year, Us Weekly confirmed that the couple were “going through a rough patch” in their marriage.
“They have both been in different places for work,” a source said at the time. “So they haven’t been able to spend as much time together this past few months.”
In March, Us exclusively revealed that the Footloose actress and “How Men Think” podcaster were in a much better place. “Brooks and Julianne are totally fine and are working through any issues they previously faced,” an insider shared at the time. “At the end of the day, they love each other and they are still together.”
Julianne and Brooks have been quarantining in different states for several weeks. Speaking to O, The Oprah Magazine via Instagram Live on April 22, the Dancing With the Stars alum opened up how she’s enjoyed being on her own during this time.
“Being on tour for three months and traveling and starting a business … it’s a lot. So to be able to be home, and stop and pause, and look inward, and connect back to myself has been glorious,” she explained. “I’ve been on my own. My husband is in Idaho doing lots of yard work … and so we’re kind of doing our separate things right now. But it’s really been a magical time.”
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