02 February 2024 , 08:55
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Kate Garraway and her two children will say their goodbyes to beloved husband and father Derek Draper at his funeral later today.
Devoted Good Morning Britain presenter Kate had been by Derek's side every step of his illness since he first contracted COVID-19 in March 2020. The mum tragically revealed she was holding his hand as he took his final breath four years later on Friday, January 5.
Throughout the last four years of his life, polical lobbyist turned psychologist and author Derek experienced several major health struggles as he was continuously admitted to hospital and cared for by Kate at the family home.
Derek's cause of death has not yet been confirmed, but Kate shared that he had been critically ill after suffering a cardiac arrest in early December.
The news had come as a horrendous shock to Kate who had been planning a family Christmas with her husband before his sudden decline.
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Kate stood by Derek's side as his health tragically deteriorated (James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Following Derek's ill-health, Kate raised awareness about Covid (PA)Kate immediately pulled out of her commitments with GMB and Smooth Radio, with her colleagues rallying around to support her as she devoted all her energy to her husband.
While Kate had regularly updated fans on her husband's battle, she spent weeks out of the limelight as her followers grew more concerned about Derek's wellbeing.
In a statement on January 5th Kate announced the heartbreaking news that Derek had died. She wrote: "I'm sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away. As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications.
"Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed. I have so much more to say, and of course, I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible.
"Sending so much love and thanks to all of you who have so generously given our family so much support. Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life," she added. Derek fell into a coma at the start of the global pandemic and was put on a ventilator - becoming Britain's longest-suffering Covid-19 victim as he spent 13 months in hospital. The dad-of-two returned home from the hospital in April 2021 but still required care and assistance, as he struggled to return to full health following first contracting the viral disease.
In December 2023, Kate announced that Derek had suffered a health setback and was readmitted to hospital. "He is living in the world of the unknown, when he wakes up in the morning it is heartbreaking because it feels as though you are watching someone who may have been inhabiting his old life in his dreams and then he wakes up and you see the cloud descend of the battle he has ahead," she revealed last month.
Derek tragically died aged 56 (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Derek had always supported Kate's career (WireImage)Kate had been keeping a vigil by his side as the psychologist and author once again fought for his life in hospital after he suffered a sudden heart attack in December. The 56-year-old had cancelled all upcoming TV and radio work in order to be there for him and had been praying for a "miracle" as she and her family stayed by Derek's bedside over Christmas.
Derek fell victim to COVID-19 in March 2020 and was left critically ill and hospitalised for more than a year. One month later, a spokesperson for Kate was self-isolating at home she shared with her husband at children after also displaying symptoms, however, she had not been tested at that stage.
When he first fell ill with symptoms, Kate called Good Morning Britain colleague Dr Hilary Jones for help. At the time, Dr Hilary said: “I had spoken to Derek and I was concerned. I was really concerned just by the way he was speaking and his breathlessness and I told him to do a simple test, not a diagnostic test. All I asked him to do was hold his breath and see how long he could hold it for, and it was less than 10 seconds. I said: ‘Okay look, now is the time to call an ambulance’ and this was when he was admitted.”
On April 24, Derek was placed in a medically induced coma to help his body fight the effects of coronavirus. At the time, a distressed Kate revealed she would play his favourite songs to him and attempt to communicate with her husband via video call but wasn't sure if he could hear her.
After 200 days in the hospital, he mouthed his first word. Doctors were trying to move Derek in order to keep his blood circulating and to stop his body from seizing up. At that moment, he said his first word - "pain".
They shared daughter Darcey and son Billy (Mirrorpix)
Derek and Kate partied with Piers Morgan just weeks before he fell ill (Can Nguyen/REX/Shutterstock)Kate said at the time: "We have had a breakthrough which was both amazing yet heartbreaking. It happened when the nurses were moving Derek, as part of his treatment, to trigger the sensation of gravity because he's been horizontal for so long."
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In June 2020, Kate revealed that Derek had fought off the COVID-19 infection but it had "wreaked extraordinary havoc" on his body. Although he had recovered, she said he may remain in a coma for a year.
Kate shared that the 56-year-old had woken up from his coma in July 2020 but remained in a "minimally conscious state." As lockdown restrictions eased, it meant that the daytime host was able to visit Derek in person. Kate and her children weren't able to see Derek for four months.
Speaking about her husband's recovery in September, Kate admitted Derek had shed eight stone while he was in a coma. She says it was a "shock" to see him for the first time despite him being unconscious and wired up to several tubes.
Kate rejoiced as she was finally able to reveal her husband finally returned home on April 8, 2021, and said that he would need to receive round-the-clock care. However, just one year later, Derek was back in hospital again. At the time, the star tragically confessed that Derek was 'in and out' of hospital, leaving her "exhausted and very fretful." Speaking at the Tric Awards in London, she responded to a question from The Sun about Derek: "He’s ok, he’s back in hospital actually, so that’s a development. There we are."
Following Derek's heartbreaking battle and sad passing, mum-of-two Kate has said that her children "know their daddy is at peace now" in a heartbreaking new tribute. On Monday morning's Good Morning Britain, host Susanna Reid read a new statement from Kate - penned on Sunday - following Derek's tragic death.
In December 2023, Derek returned to hospital for the final time before his tragic passing a number of weeks later after Kate, Darcey, and Billy spent Christmas by his bedside, hoping for a miracle.