Sad Details About Hallmark Star Brant Daugherty's Personal Life
Hallmark star Brant Daugherty has encountered a lot of sadness in his personal life. In 2021, Daugherty missed the birth of his first child with his wife, writer Kim Daugherty. While speaking with Access Hollywood, Daugherty revealed that work obligations prevented him from witnessing the birth of their son in person. "So, weird story, I just wrapped a movie, and the movie ended two days after her due date," said Daugherty. And while Daugherty hoped that the baby would come late, he came early. Daugherty's sister-in-law even FaceTimed him as his wife gave birth. "It was heartbreaking. I was stuck in a hotel in Vancouver, watching on FaceTime as my son came into the world," continued Daugherty.
Unfortunately, the birth of their son, Wilder Daugherty, didn't go exactly as planned. Although Daugherty's wife breezed through her pregnancy, she had an incredibly difficult delivery that required a "last minute" C-section. Fortunately, everything worked out, and Daugherty was able to meet his new baby and wife shortly after wrapping the film. However, his first wave of fatherhood was also challenging. In addition to aiding his wife as she recovered from major surgery, Daugherty also had to navigate their son's ankyloglossia, also known as "tongue-tie," which made feeding their new addition difficult, according to Culturess. And while their little family of three will soon be a family of four, it wasn't the last (or first) difficult chapter that Daugherty had to deal with.
Brant Daugherty was robbed after DWTS
Brant Daugherty competed on Season 17 of "Dancing With The Stars," but he didn't snag the top prize, which eventually went to "Glee" alum Amber Riley and Derek Hough. According to ABC News, Daugherty and his partner, Peta Murgatroyd, were voted off after surviving eight weeks of eliminations. Daugherty reflected on his journey during a "Good Morning America" interview. "I've learned something I never thought I'd be able to learn in my life. I learned a lot about myself, and I'm just very, very grateful for the opportunity," said the Hallmark star. Unfortunately, not all of Daugherty's "DWTS" journey was easy.
Roughly one month before his November 2023 elimination, Daugherty was actually robbed after filming for "DWTS." The "Timeless Love" actor relayed the harrowing event to People. "After the show, I got dropped off and was walking up to my apartment building, and a man followed me up with a gun and told me to give him my stuff," said Daugherty. "It was a complete random occurrence of events and it led up to one of the worst nights of my life — after having such a great night last week on the dance floor." And though the thief only made off with Daugherty's cell phone and workout essentials, the experience left him scarred for a while. "He came in the next morning ... and he was so flustered and emotional," said Murgatroyd.
Brant Daugherty lost his father
Unfortunately, Brant Daugherty lost someone really close to him in life. In 2009, Brant's father, David Daugherty, died from cancer, according to Wide Open Country. In 2015, Brant revealed that his favorite "DWTS" dance was one that he used to honor his father's memory. "My favorite dance was the contemporary routine that Peta and I dedicated to my father," shared Brant with Just Jared in 2015. "He passed away in 2009, and it isn't something I usually like to talk about. But that's the thing about this show. It forces you to face yourself and your pain."
One year later, Brant took to Facebook to honor the seven years since his father's death. "Today marks 7 years since my father passed away," wrote Daugherty. "It's a difficult day for me. I miss him and think about him every day." The actor also revealed that his father was a talented artist. "This is his (unfinished) masterpiece, a self portrait in Moscow. I really wish he could see my life now. I know he'd be proud. Love you, Dad." Naturally, the loss of Brant's father made it hard for him to celebrate Father's Day for several years. But becoming a father changed things. "I lost my dad 12 years ago so it's been a while since I've celebrated Father's Day," posted Brant in 2021. "But this year is different in the best way. I love these two so much. Thanks for making me a dad."