Emotions Filled the "Dancing with the Stars" Ballroom as Selma Blair Left the Competition

Blair and pro-partner Sasha Farber performed a Waltz to What the World Needs Now Is Love, in recognition of 2018, the year she was diagnosed with the disease and discovered that finally having a name to what she'd been dealing with for so long, she could recover and start living again. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when amidst a standing ovation from the audience, the judges awarded her the season's first perfect 40/40 score.

"I knew new last Thursday," Blair revealed after the show of her decision to forfeit the competition. "I had an MRI on my knee and the doctor was like, 'Oh if you can choreograph it in the pool or do something not weight bearing.' I was like, 'Maybe I'll feel better,' but let me check stuff and then if that's okay, I'll continue. It wasn't great, nothing horrible, but I wasn't prepared for horrible, as leaving was horrible enough. I thought last week would be our last dance, but I was like, 'No way!' I really wanted to try a contemporary dance, but now I realize, 'Oh my God, what am I thinking?' But I wanted to, and if anyone could get me to, I thought it would be Sasha.

"The reality is sometimes when you come into things with a chronic illness or a history of a health thing … you just have to take care of yourself and it's not all possible," she continued. "But what I had here …"

Throughout her journey on the show, Blair revealed that dance had helped her regain some of the motor skills MS had taken from her, and as a result, she intends to keep dancing, maybe just not as intensely. "It's gonna be hard because it's like you almost need this intensity to feel some internal competition," she shared. "To push myself because I had gains here physically that I couldn't get in physical therapy or through zoom therapy, with my body or balance. This is a real immersion therapy. On one side I had kind of a bone overload, but on the other side, I had total gains. I have much less drop foot, and I can calm down a lot better now when confronted with a new task."

"I feel like in someone's next movie she's going to be in a red dress," added Farber in support. "She's going to be the star of the movie, and doing this beautiful Argentine tango, seducing someone … the possibilities are endless for this lady."

One thing for sure is the joy that Blair brought to the set is going to be sorely missed. "She's such a light in this competition and the show," said Joseph Baena. "Basically, with anything she touches, she shines so much light on everything and she has such a warm heart. It's sad to see her go. It was very emotional for everyone because everyone loves hanging out with her at rehearsals and around the show."

"She lights up this competition," added Wayne Brady. "This is a very human show and Selma truly is the light we've all gravitated to. It's a loss for sure and she will be so, so missed. She made an impression on every single one of us that we will always keep."

"I adore Selma," said Jordin Sparks. "Her energy, and the way she just pushes through. She's just like, 'What? I'm going to do it!' and so inspiring. That's why I'm sad she's not going to be around. But I'm sure she'll be in the audience, cheering us all on, so I'm grateful for that."

"Selma represents strength, courage, kindness, talent and beauty," reflected drag superstar Shangela. "Her presence is going to be missed in this ballroom. I know I'm going to miss her as she's my new home girl. I told her, 'You're stuck with me now girl.'"

"Selma fought really hard this season, and it was so sad tonight to hear that she had to leave the show," said judge Derek Hough. "She was the story of season 31. What she did on the show was nothing less than a miracle and sensational. I mentioned tonight [on the show] her reputation among the crew, make-up and hair departments that I heard nothing but beautiful things about who she was as a person. That means a lot to me the way people treat others, so she's a class act and this was the most beautiful sendoff in DWTS history.

"Her dance tonight was gorgeous," he added in closing. "I'm already thinking of things for her to do on the finale as I have no doubt we haven't seen the last of her. I already have some choreography planned on the table. My instincts say she's somebody who wants to be here, and I want to give her something to look forward to."

Dancing with the Stars is telecast live, Mondays at 8 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. PT on Disney+.

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