KATE Garraway was assured husband Derek will get better by a long-suffering coronavirus patient on today's Good Morning Britain.
Anil Patel, 63, spent 149 days in intensive care with the illness before being moved to a residential rehabilitation centre just days ago.
After talking about his own battle, Anil turned his attention to Derek and said to Ben Shephard and Susanna Reid in the studio.
He said: "I hear Kate's husband is ill as well like me. Is he OK now?"
Kate, who was also in the studio, replied: "No, he's still fighting on like you. So not through the woods yet but thank you so much for thinking of that."
Anil told her: "He will be fine, Kate."
She responded: "Will he? That is a lovely thought. Thank you for saying that."
The 63-year-old Londoner then said: "And I wish him really well."
Ben then said: "That sort of positivity er continue to get is the embodiment of what happens when the NHS comes together and works really hard."
Derek is the longest suffering coronavirus patient in the country after spending nearly 200 days in hospital.
He has been battling severe complications from the illness that have seen his organs ravaged.
Viewers were left in tears after hearing Anil's kind words.
One wrote on Twitter: "What an absolute humble hero. Wishing you good health and happiness Anil, enjoy your daughters birthdays. I won’t lie, you made me cry when you asked about Kate’s husband and if he was ok – you are a legend."
Another typed: "Get well soon Mr Patel. Made me cry when he asked how Kate’s husband is. What a kind caring lovely man thinking of others !!"
A third shared: "Awww Anil on @GMB asking after @kategarraway husband Derek, 156 days in hospital with covid himself and he says Derek will be fine to Kate, wee soul."
Anil was hospitalised at King George Hospital in Ilford back in May after he collapsed at his home in Chadwell Heath, Dagenham.
He said he "cannot thank staff enough," adding: "I cannot praise them enough.”
The building manager spent 149 days under the care of Intensive Care medics, during which times he was sedated for two months.
He has been moved to a residential rehabilitation centre to continue his recovery, as he describes being "on the up all the time".
Anil, who is a dad to grown up daughters Aneeka, 28, and Nikeeta, 27, says he cannot remember much from the fateful day of his collapse.
Beyond one of his daughters calling an ambulance for him, his mind is blank, he said.
Anil, who is married to wife Darshee, said he initially felt "quite angry" following his coronavirus diagnosis and being stuck in hospital.
The 63-year-old admitted he sometimes took his anger out on people, but said he always apologised too.
With both his daughter's birthdays coming up next month he is desperate to get home in time to celebrate.
Anil said: "“I’ve got a lovely family and I just want to get home to them."
Although the family have been keeping in touch via video-call, he has only seen them once in person.
He describes the moment they were allowed to meet as "very emotional".
Anil said the thing that got him through the months in hospital was thoughts of his family, his nieces and his nephews.
The 63-year-old – who celebrated his birthday from his hospital bed – also said chats with staff and other patients got him through.
But he insisted one highlight of his time at King George was staff making a fuss of him on his birthday.
Medics and other staff got him a cake and a card and sung happy birthday to him, which lifted his spirits.
Anil is now urging everyone to take coronavirus precautions seriously, wear a mask and follow the rules.
The building manager added it "really annoyed" him when people flouted important lockdown measures, in place to stop the spread of the virus.
He said: "They would change their minds if they saw people like me suffering.”
His recovery follows a "miracle" patient in Scotland who spent a whopping 172 days in ICU.
Brian Mearns, 63, got a standing ovation from medics as he left the unit in Edinburgh, Scotland.
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