It’s been almost a year since Danelle Umstead was voted off season 27 of Dancing With the Stars, and the resilient Paralympian is still processing the heartbreak. In an exclusive chat with Closer Weekly, Danelle dives deep into her incredible journey on the beloved reality TV competition, sharing how she’s overcome the pain of elimination and what it means to her moving forward.
“It wasn’t easy. Let me tell you, it took time—real time—to process everything,” the 47-year-old Paralympian, who made history as the first-ever blind contestant on the show, admitted candidly. Competing alongside professional dancer Artem Chigvintsev during the fall 2018 season, Danelle wasn’t shy about expressing her desire to return. “I don’t know if I’m fully over it yet. Honestly, I think they need to bring me back and let me finish what I started!”
View this post on InstagramIt’s really hard to put in words how I feel. Humble, sad and inspired at the same time. Watching a blind woman cry is truly heartbreaking. @danelleumstead you’ve touched so many people out there with your spirit determination and love, you made me appreciate life and not take it for granted, you made me a better teacher and a better person. I will always remember that. Stay who you are and never change you making impossible possible!
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Dealing With the Unexpected Elimination
During last season, Danelle and Artem found themselves voted off in the second week after a shock twist. Host Tom Bergeron and the judges revealed that the phone votes wouldn’t be counted, leaving the pair blindsided. For Danelle, who was diagnosed with an inherited retinal disease (IRD) at 13 and also battles multiple sclerosis, the news was crushing. “Artem and I were like, ‘Huh? What just happened?’” she recalled, her voice still carrying the weight of that moment. Fans quickly reached out on social media to express their disappointment, with many confessing they hadn’t voted online in time. “It made me wonder if things might have been different if the phone votes had counted,” she admitted.
Heartbreak and Healing
“It just felt so unfair. I didn’t get the chance to finish, and that closure was stolen from me,” she explained, her voice tinged with emotion. “Artem was heartbroken too, and he had to deal with my tears for what felt like 24 hours straight. He kept saying, ‘Danelle, it’s going to be okay,’ but I didn’t know how to handle it.” As a longtime fan of the show, Danelle found the loss particularly tough to swallow. “I’ve been watching since 2007, and I knew the show well. I couldn’t remember this ever happening to anyone else. I felt robbed,” she confessed.
View this post on Instagram❤️❤️❤️ Happy #nationallovingday I love these two so much. #lifeisbetterwithyou ❤️ . This 📸 was after our last dance on @dancingabc #dwts27 – I was so upset learning Artem and I were eliminated and all the votes didn’t show up (glitch in phone votes so they didn’t count them)😢 My heart was broken. At the time it seemed unfair and felt like they should have done a double elimination the following week. Anyways, these two loved me and supported me through every moment. Win or lose, they are my biggest fans. #nationallovingday
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