Kate Garraway leaves viewers in tears as she admits she’s ‘terribly lonely’ caring for ailing husband Derek and says a happy ending feels ‘unsustainable’
- The GMB host, 54, provided an intimate look into caring for Derek, also 54, after his body was ravaged by Covid in her second documentary
- Former lobbyist Derek was struck down with coronavirus in March 2020 and put into an induced coma by doctors, spending 374 days in hospital
- Throughout the documentary, Kate offered an insight into her daily routine with her husband as she detailed the ‘vast amount’ she needs to do to care for him
- Derek underwent specialist treatment at a clinic in Monterrey, Mexico and is set to return for 28 days next month
- He had to undergo oxygen and pressure tests to check he was able to cope with the 16-hour transatlantic flight
Kate Garraway left viewers in tears on Tuesday night as she admitted she’s ‘terribly lonely’ caring for her ailing husband Derek Draper.
The Good Morning Britain host, 54, who was also hailed for her ‘patience and strength’, provided an intimate look at caring for Derek, also 54, after his body was ravaged by Covid in her second documentary, Caring For Derek.
Former lobbyist Derek was struck down with coronavirus in March 2020 and put into an induced coma by doctors – with Kate revealing he would currently die if was left unaided for three days without expert care.
Emotional: Kate Garraway left viewers in tears on Tuesday as she admitted she’s ‘terribly lonely’ caring for ailing husband Derek and said a happy ending feels ‘unsustainable’
The broadcaster has spoken openly of her husband’s recovery from the debilitating condition and gave viewers a candid glimpse into their life, and her innermost feelings, since Derek left hospital last year – 374 days after being admitted.
A notably emotional Kate said at one point: ‘People are really kind and say I’m an inspiration but I’m really struggling – and I think it’s important for people to know that, cos I’m sure they’re struggling in their life too in whatever way.
‘I think one of the worst things is the terrible loneliness… from having him here but not here. It’s really indescribable. It’s just so hard. I can sort of see him, but he’s absent – and you just feel very much on your own, all the time.’
Ordeal: The Good Morning host, 54, who was also hailed for her ‘patience and strength’, provided an intimate look at caring for Covid-stricken Derek, also 54, in her new documentary
Kate said: ‘I think one of the worst things is the terrible loneliness… from having him here but not here. It’s really indescribable’
Hard: ‘I still hope we’ll have a happy ending, but ultimately it just feels unsustainable,’ Kate admitted
Kate also confessed: ‘I still hope we’ll have a happy ending, but ultimately it just feels unsustainable.’
The heart-wrenching scenes left viewers in tears. Psychologist Jo Hemmings wrote on Twitter during the documentary: ‘And what is most wonderful of all is that @kategarraway allows her husband to retain his dignity in the darkest of times. Her humility and kindness is just awe inspiring’.
A moved viewer chimed: ‘What a beautiful family you have. I’m smiling and crying watching you all this evening. Thank you for sharing and allowing your journey to support others. Wishing you all a world of love and best wishes xxx’.
A third fan amplified the praise Kate was receiving via social media, writing: ‘The patience and strength you and the family possess Kate is so admirable.’
Response: Fans were moved by the documentary and took to social media to heap praise onto Kate, who has become Derek’s carer
Another moving clip saw Derek celebrate his birthday at home with his loved ones.
Kate and Derek’s 15-year-old daughter Darcey gushed how proud she was her dad had ‘survived it’.
Despite acknowledging her dad’s different means of communicating, she added: ‘The relationship is the same. You can see the love.’
Emotions: Another moving clip saw Derek celebrate his birthday at home with his loved ones
Bond: Kate and Derek’s 15-year-old daughter Darcey spoke of how she was proud her dad had ‘survived it’
Tribute: Despite acknowledging her dad’s different means of communicating, she added: ‘The relationship is the same. You can see the love’
When his teenage daughter presented him with a birthday card, the father-of-two could not hold back the tears as he wrapped his arms around her lovingly.
Someone there to support Kate throughout filming was colleague Ben Shephard.
During a heart-to-heart, Kate told her close friend and Good Morning Britain co-star, 47: ‘Over the past month, the light has gone out of his eyes a bit. I feel like he is frustrated – not just frustrated but he’s disappearing.’
There for you: Someone there to support Kate throughout filming was colleague Ben Shephard
Honest: With the pair encompassed in a heart-to-heart, Kate told her close friend and co-star, 47: ‘Over the past month, the light has gone out of his eyes a bit’
Throughout the documentary, Kate offered an insight into her daily routine with her husband Derek as she detailed the ‘vast amount’ she needs to do to care for him.
The presenter shared a look at her day-to-day with the former lobbyist, which includes an endless pile of laundry due to having to change his bed linen seven times a day.
Scenes showed weary Kate assisting a carer as he moved Derek as well as the emotional moment he hugged his son Billy, 12, for the first time.
Never ending: Kate offered an insight into her daily routine with her husband Derek as she detailed the ‘vast amount’ she needs to do to care for him
During the opening of the clip, Kate asked Derek if he was okay as she shifted him up the bed with the assistance of one of the father-of-two’s carers.
Kate is then seen in the family’s utility room as she showed viewers around and revealed the huge amount of washing to be done.
She said: ‘This is all of our laundry, this pile here and all of this now is Derek’s laundry just from today. The bedding is vast, there’s a vast amount to do.
Caring For Derek: The presenter shared a look at her day-to-day with the former lobbyist which includes an endless pile of laundry due to having to change his bed linen seven times a day
Helping hand: A weary Kate assisted a carer as he moved Derek
Incredible amount: Kate is then seen in the family’s utility room as she showed viewers around and revealed the huge amount of washing to be done
She said: ‘This is all of our laundry, this pile here and all of this now is Derek’s laundry just from today. The bedding is vast, there’s a vast amount to do’
Kate Garraway’s husband Derek bursts into tears as he receives birthday card from daughter Darcy, 15 declaring him the ‘world’s greatest father’ – as she tells her dad how ‘proud’ she is
Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper broke down in tears as he received a loving birthday card from his daughter Darcy declaring him ‘the best father in the world’.
The touching moment was shown on documentary Caring For Derek, the follow up to Finding Derek, detailing his recovery from his Covid-19 battle.
The ITV documentary showed the family celebrating Derek’s 54th birthday after being discharged from hospital following a year-long stay when he was struck down with coronavirus in March 2020 and put into an induced coma by doctors.
Bond: Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper broke down in tears as he received a loving birthday card from his daughter Darcy declaring him ‘the best father in the world’
The family celebrated Derek’s milestone with a red velvet cake, presents and cards as they sat in the living room which had been decorated with balloons.
Darcy, 15, presented her father with a birthday card, and he managed to read aloud the words inside, which said: ‘To the greatest father in the world. Happy Birthday, love you so much, I am so proud of you.’
As Derek, 54, reached the end of the message, the father-of-two could not hold back tears as he wrapped his arms around his daughter.
Kate and Derek’s daughter also spoke about how proud she was that her dad had ‘survived it’ [Covid] during an confessional in the programme.
Sweet moment: The touching moment was shown on documentary Caring For Derek, the follow up to Finding Derek, detailing his recovery from his Covid-19 battle
Love: Kate told Derek he had received many cards for his birthday (pictured Dereks sister Di, Billy and Darcy with Derek)
Despite acknowledging her dad’s different means of communicating, she added: ‘The relationship is the same. You can see the love.’
Asked if she was ‘worried about anyone seeing her dad’, she replied: ‘Not at all. I know some people might be embarrassed by it, but I’m not embarrassed by it, just because he has survived it so it’s more impressive than embarrassing.’
Viewers at home couldn’t help but be moved watching the scenes, and took to Twitter to voice their emotions.
One wrote: ‘Incredibly moved watching #CaringForDerek. The bit where he breaks down reading the Birthday card from his daughter for ‘the greatest dad’ has broken me.’
Family: The family celebrated Derek’s milestone with a red velvet cake, presents and cards as they sat in the living room which had been decorated with balloons
Pride: She presented her father with a birthday card, and he managed to read aloud the words inside, which said: ‘To the greatest father in the world. Happy Birthday, love you so much, I am so proud of you’
Proud: Kate and Derek’s daughter also spoke about how proud she was that her dad had ‘survived it’ [Covid] during an confessional in the programme
Another echoed: ‘Getting emotional already. His reaction at that birthday card. So tough for him and the whole family. Utmost respect for @kategarraway #CaringForDerek’
A third chimed in to add: ‘What love and devotion, the reading of the card was it for me. Pure sobs from the soul for them all.’
Emotional: Viewers at home couldn’t help but be moved watching the scenes, and took to Twitter to voice their emotions
Kate continued: ‘So I just constantly ship it through. I think it’s a symbol of how everything is scaled up by a 100.’
The radio presenter revealed how Derek still needs 24-hour expert care as he continues his recovery, after being hospitalised with Covid in March 2020.
Another snippet released ahead of Tuesday’s episode on ITV, showed the moment Kate and Derek’s son Billy was able to hug his father for the first time.
Recovery: The radio presenter revealed how Derek still needs 24-hour expert care as he continues his recovery, after being hospitalised with Covid in March 2020
Emotional: Kate also discussed the extraordinary moment her husband Derek was able to hug their son Bill
A father’s love: Kate detailed the first time he moved his arm, and how he was able to activate a movement prompted by emotion – and how she burst into tears when she saw the footage
Kate also discussed the extraordinary moment during an appearance on Tuesday morning’s episode of Good Morning Britain.
The presenter detailed the first time he moved his arm, and how he was able to activate a movement prompted by emotion – and how she burst into tears when she saw the footage.
Kate shared that she’d been outside when the emotional moment happened when he came home in April 2021, and that she only saw the footage months later, when she burst into tears.
During a new interview, Kate explained how Derek, who was struck down with coronavirus in March 2020 and put into an induced coma by doctors, would currently die if left unaided for three days without expert care.
Candid: During a new interview, Kate explained how Derek, who was struck down with coronavirus in March 2020 and put into an induced coma by doctors, would currenty die if left unaided for three days without expert care
Derek needs assistance walking from Kate and his carers because the tendons and muscles in his legs have seized up after being placed in an induced coma.
She also recalled how Derek broke down after getting up to use the comode unaided, partly because he was happy but also because ‘that’s what it has come to’.
Kate revealed that Derek sleeps between 16 and 20 hours a day while she survives on on around a quarter of this, while juggling his care and her work and family commitments.
The TV star previously told The Telegraph how she would sit by Derek’s bedside all night so that she would be there whenever he woke up.
She said: ‘It’s tempting when he drops off to use the time to prepare for work or do the mountains of washing caring for him creates or prepare the feed for his tube.
‘But I have to remind myself that it’s just as important to sit with him, so that he can feel my presence and I’ll be there when he wakes, even for just 10 minutes at a time.’
Round the clock care: During a new interview, Kate explained how Derek would currently die if left unaided for three days without expert care
In a promotional clip for Caring For Derek, Kate is at home with Derek and their children Darcey, 15, and William, 12, and is seen lifting Derek in and out of a special bed.
In other shots, Derek is seen sitting in a wheelchair as he shares some quality moments with his family.
In an interview with today’s You magazine, the TV star admitted her relationship with the political lobbyist turned psychotherapist has changed since he was struck down by the virus in March 2020.
‘I’m not sure that we’ve ever fallen out of love, but I think a new path is emerging, a new way to be in love,’ said Kate.
‘He puts huge trust in me. He just says, ‘Whatever you think’, which is wonderful, but I do get quite tearful about it. I think, ‘God, I hope I’m worthy of that trust’.
‘But I’ve got his back. That is a relationship in itself, isn’t it? How many times do couples have doubts about each other?
24/7: Kate told how she often has to assist Derek’s carers throughout the day and has to change Derek’s bed linen seven times a day’
During an interview with The Sun, Kate revealed that she accompanied Derek on a 11,000-mile trip trip to Mexico for cutting-edge medical treatment amid his recovery from the debilitating condition.
She said that Derek is ‘desperate to recover’ and underwent oxygen and pressure tests to check he was able to cope with the 16-hour transatlantic flight.
Derek, who was admitted to hospital in March 2020, did not return home for more than a year following his hospital admission and the former lobbyist, who requires around-the-clock care, has at times felt suicidal.
Pioneering: During an interview with The Sun, Kate revealed that she accompanied Derek on a 11,000-mile trip trip to Mexico for cutting-edge medical treatment amid his recovery from the debilitating condition (Derek pictured entering an MRI scanner)
An eminent doctor in the States had reached out to veteran presenter Kate after seeing her beloved husband’s health battle documented on television in March 2021.
Derek has since undergone specialist treatment at a clinic in Monterrey and is set to return for 28 days next month, while healthcare professionals continue to monitor his brain, liver and lung function.
Kate, who recalled to The Sun how Derek was ‘excited’ at the prospect of receiving treatment, explained: ‘I think actually there’s a huge amount of hope for him to improve. I think the treatment could be positive. I want to be slightly careful about saying too much, because I’m aware everybody will go, ‘What is the trial?”
The Good Morning Britain host detailed hopes for a ‘happy ending’ – not just for Derek, but for those who check in regularly to see how he’s getting on.
However, the level-headed presenter admitted that, despite there being ‘a lot of positives’, her husband-of-16-years was ‘not out of the woods’ and would require ‘much more’ treatment.
Patches of white flagged up on one of his early brain scans which, a neurologist said, was usually seen more in patients with vascular dementia.
Kate is yet to have an agreed diagnosis as experts still do not fully understand the long-term effects of the virus.
We’re off: She said that Derek is ‘desperate to recover’ and underwent oxygen and pressure tests to check he was able to cope with the 16-hour transatlantic flight (pictured Kate and Derek)
A timeline of Derek’s coronavirus battle
MARCH 2020
Kate revealed she and Prince Charles had got ‘relatively close’ at the Prince’s Trust Awards on March 11 – Charles was diagnosed with coronavirus in mid-March.
She said: ‘Around the 29/30 March, I came home came in and said [to Derek] ‘god you look ill.’
‘He said he had a headache, numbness in his right hand, and was struggling to breathe,
‘I rang Dr Hilary (Jones) and tried to get through, he talked to Derek. He said put me back on, I think you need to call an ambulance’
Derek, 52, was taken into hospital on March 30 and remained in an unresponsive condition.
APRIL
Kate and her children isolated at home after she displayed ‘mild symptoms’.
Kate said: ‘Derek remains in intensive care and is still very ill. I’m afraid it remains an excruciatingly worrying time.
‘I’m afraid he is still in a deeply critical condition, but he is still here, which means there is hope.’
MAY
Kate said: ‘The journey for me and my family seems to be far from over as every day my heart sinks as I learn new and devastating ways this virus has more battles for Derek to fight.
‘But he is still HERE & so there is still hope.’
That month, Kate and her family took part in the final clap for carers
She said: ‘I’ll never give up on that because Derek’s the love of my life but at the same time I have absolute uncertainty’
JUNE
On June 5, Kate revealed Derek is now free from coronavirus but continues to fight against the damage inflicted on his body
JULY
On July 5, Kate revealed Derek has woken from his coma but he remains in a serious yet critical condition.
On July 8, she announced she would be returning to GMB, after being urged by doctors to ‘get on with life’ during Derek’s recovery.
She added that Derek had ‘opened his eyes’ after waking from his coma, but has been told his recovery could take years.
On July 13, Kate returned to GMB for the first time since Derek was hospitalised.
On July 28, Kate revealed she’d paid an ‘extra emotional’ first visit to Derek, and admitted she’s ‘frustrated’ by his slow progress.
AUGUST
On August 14, Kate reassured GMB viewers that Derek was ‘still with us,’ but it was ‘a waiting game.’
On August 19, Kate revealed she celebrated Derek’s birthday with their two children, and described the day as ‘challenging’ for her family.
SEPTEMBER
At the end of September, Derek reportedly becomes the longest surviving patient with coronavirus after spending 184 days in and out of intensive care.
Kate reveals Derek has lost eight stone during his battle.
The presenter announces she is returning to her Smooth Radio show so Derek can hear her voice.
OCTOBER
On October 30 Kate reveals that Derek has spoken for the first time in seven months, saying the word ‘pain’ to his wife, who watched on ‘in tears’ over FaceTime.
Kate says a day later that her husband no longer needs a ventilator to breathe.
NOVEMBER
Kate reveals her family car has been stolen in latest ‘body blow’ to her family life, as kind-hearted fans offer their cars to help.
She says she feels ‘physically sick’ at the prospect of facing her first Christmas without Derek.
DECEMBER
The GMB star tells viewers it is her dream to visit Derek on Christmas Day.
She also reveals she missed two weeks on GMB after her children were exposed to the virus, but thankfully she and the kids tested negative.
On December 17, Kate has an emotional conversation live on GMB with two nurses who treated Derek when he was first admitted to Whittington Hospital in North London.
On New Year’s Eve she reflects on a ‘calamitous’ Christmas without Derek, as her house was flooded and she struggled to get a food delivery slot until her pal Emma Willis stepped in to help.
JANUARY 2021
Kate reveals she and her children got to visit Derek in hospital over the Christmas period, and it was the first time her family had seen him since he was hospitalised.
She also says she’s banned from seeing him due to new restrictions introduced during the government’s third lockdown.
FEBRUARY
Kate reveals she is unsure how much Derek will ‘ever be able to recover’ following warning from doctors that he may never wake from his coma
MARCH
It was revealed that Derek’s rehabilitation is ‘continuing’ and that ‘doctors have extended the option of keeping him in hospital until December 2021’
Kate Garraway allowed cameras to document her story as the family adjusted to a new way of life in documentary Finding Derek
APRIL
However, after spending more than a year in intensive care and being deemed a ‘medical first’, Derek returns home to the delight of Kate, 53, and their two children Darcey, 15, and son Billy, 11
Kate ‘spent thousands’ adapting her North London house for her Covid-stricken husband prior to his return to the family home
Kate admits that it is ‘completely overwhelming but also wonderful’ having Derek back
MAY
Kate updates concerned fans, saying he ‘can’t really move’ and still has minimal communication
JUNE
Kate says she was motivated to find out more about long Covid
SEPTEMBER
The GMB star picks up the National Television Award for Authored Documentary at the O2 Arena in London for Finding Derek – her televised account of her husband Derek’s ongoing battle against COVID-19
OCTOBER
Tearful Kate prays for stricken husband Derek as she visits a church for the first time since he fell ill with COVID-19
DECEMBER
Kate and Derek enjoy a family trip to a pantomime – and he flashes the heartwarming smile that she feared she might never witness again
JANUARY 2022
Kate says Derek Draper is ‘phenomenally fatigued’ after family pantomime trip
FEBRUARY
Kate reveals that they flew to Mexico for cutting-edge medical treatment at a specialist clinic
Derek will return next month for 28 days
Second documentary Caring For Derek airs, where Kate leaves viewers in tears as she admits she’s ‘terribly lonely’ and says a happy ending feels ‘unsustainable’
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