Stephen Nedoroscik recently revealed that Ilona Maher sent him a message inviting him to make a special appearance on the 34th season of the dance reality show *Dancing with the Stars*. The double Olympic medalist gymnast and the Olympic bronze medalist rugby player had both made it to the grand finale of the previous season.
Nedoroscik shared a screenshot of his conversation with Maher on his Instagram story. The 27-year-old gymnast also posted a selfie from Los Angeles to confirm his arrival for the upcoming special appearance. In their exchange, Maher simply asked, “Can you come this week to DWTS?” Nedoroscik replied, “My doctor cleared me to but I haven’t got a flight yet [I can be easily convinced].” Maher responded enthusiastically with, “Do it!”
Stephen Nedoroscik and Ilona Maher had previously waltzed their way to the grand finale of the 33rd season of *Dancing with the Stars*. While Stephen was mostly the fan favorite, Ilona earned her spot at the top after a whirlwind campaign. Nedoroscik finished fourth overall despite receiving high praise from the judges for his grand finale performance alongside dance partner Rylee Arnold. Meanwhile, Maher and her dance partner, Alan Bersten, finished as the runner-up.
In a related moment, Nedoroscik responded to a fan who thanked him for single-handedly reviving interest in men’s gymnastics. During the *DWTS Tour Live*, a fan commented on one of his performances, saying, “Stephen, you have single-handedly expanded the interest in men’s gymnastics and have a whole lot of new fans!” An elated Nedoroscik replied, “That’s so sweet!! I can’t wait for my comeback.”
Earlier this year, Nedoroscik underwent hip surgery following a disappointing performance at the US Gymnastics Championships. He shared some insights about his hospital stay through Instagram stories, noting care such as “You get special air if you have asthma.” After the successful surgery, he captioned another story with, “Great successful Ouch Ouch Ouch.”
Despite the setback at the US National Championships, Stephen Nedoroscik remains determined to maintain his performance at the international level. The 27-year-old gymnast is already setting his sights on the Los Angeles Olympics, scheduled to take place in mid-July 2028.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/olympics/news-stephen-nedoroscik-reveals-ilona-maher-s-message-make-special-appearance-dancing-stars
