“I think it was probably the hardest week I’ve ever had on Dancing With the Stars,” the 37-year-old pro dancer, who has competed on nine seasons of the ABC seres, told Us Weekly and other reporters following the Monday, November 1, episode.

After Farber and Lee, 18, danced the paso doble during Queen night, she ran off stage holding her stomach. Although hesitant, she did return for the relay dances later in the night — but that almost didn’t happen.

“The poor girl started to feel really sick on Tuesday, and it got worse and worse. We had to miss rehearsals. Today was actually the first time she did the relay because she couldn’t do it last night. I danced with a mannequin [in rehearsals],” the Russia native explained, noting that each time they’d rehearse, Lee would have to pause “to throw up” but would keep trying.

“Right before the dance started … we were standing in the tunnel, and she just kinda, like, 10 seconds in, vomited in her mouth and tears started to come out and she started walking away, saying, like, ‘No, I can’t do it.’ I was like, ‘Suni, you’ve got this. Come on. This is game time,'” Farber continued. “And she turned around and she was, like, holding it in, and she held it in for a minute 35 and then the second the dance was over, she ran to a trashcan.”

The Burn the Floor alum went on to explain that the Olympian felt “so embarrassed” all night, but everyone continued to support her backstage.

When it was time for their relay dance, she nearly didn’t do it because she was so mortified.

“We’re all saying to her, like, ‘You’re going to regret this tomorrow if you don’t do this.’ Because they would have played the dress run, and that’s where she was — the poor thing was, you know, walking. So, she was like, ‘OK, you know what? I’m going to do it.’ And the power of the other pros and celebrities cheering around in that relay, like, that’s the most smiling and most passion [she showed]. She really dug deep and she did it,” Farber said, noting that while the other pairs were rehearsing their relay routines, he and Lee sat out since it involved a lot of spinning. “I’m like, ‘Let’s just chill. We got this. You don’t have to rehearse. I’m going to go extra slow. I’ve got you. I want all your worries, like, let me worry. You just hold on and hold your breath. Don’t throw up on me, and we got this.'”

After the show, Lee went to the doctor and will focus on getting some rest to prepare for next week.

“Hopefully she’s feeling better. We have a new week, two dances. It’s a new challenge,” the professional dancer added. “It’s going to be a hard week, but hopefully she’s feeling better and I’m just so proud to be dancing with such a warrior.”

Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.

This story originally appeared on: US Magazine - Author:Emily Longeretta