Alan Bersten Underwent Surgery Just Weeks Before 'DWTS' Season 26 Cast Reveal

Alan Bersten almost wasn’t going to be part of the pro lineup for this season of Dancing With the Stars – and the frightening reason was because of a tumor!

In a new interview with People, the 23-year-old pro dancer revealed that he had been diagnosed with PTH, hyperparathyroidism, which is an enlargement of one or more of the parathyroid glands causes overproduction of the hormone, resulting in high levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia), which can cause a variety of health problems.

Thankfully though, Alan is okay – and all because he underwent surgery almost immediately after he found out about the tumor on his parathyroid gland.

“If they didn’t have a surgeon available, I would have had to wait for this season to finish and then do it,” he shared, meaning he wouldn’t be paired with Mirai Nagasu at all.

Alan adds, “I would be so in my head about it, I would be scared. So I got very lucky that they had time and that I was able to recover in time for the season.”

Thankfully, the tumor was also benign and his recovery was only a week at home resting.

“They said it was a miracle that the doctors found it because most people don’t understand they have it until they break a bone or they get kidney stones,” Alan adds. “It was like all of my stars up there in Heaven watching over me.”

Alan and Mirai will kick off the mini-DWTS season on Monday, April 30th on ABC.