Cole caught the disease while on vacation in Africa with Hough, but contrary to previous reports, it has Hough who actually recognized that Cole had malaria, not just a simple flu. So I guess we can’t blame him after all. 

“I thought I had a bad case of flu and everyone else agreed,” Cole said. “I was even told to stay at home and get some rest. The doctors were so certain it was not serious and I believed them.”

Friends say that Derek is just as thankful to have Cheryl in his life and had been beating himself up over her getting ill, thinking it was all his fault.