Kate Garraway spent Christmas Day in hospital with her husband Derek Draper as he was ‘too unwell’ to go home – after suffering a cardiac arrest last year.
The Good Morning Britain host announced the death of her husband of 18 years at the age of 56 on Instagram on Friday morning, almost four years after he first fell seriously ill with Covid resulting in a plague of health woes.
The Mirror reported Kate, Derek and their two children Darcey, 17, and Billy, 14, spent their final Christmas as a family together beside his hospital bed.
A source said: ‘Unfortunately Derek was too unwell for doctors to allow him home for Christmas. But the last thing Kate wanted was for him to be alone during the holidays.
‘So they brought Christmas to him, food, presents and all. The whole family was there with him and they had the best day they could.’
Kate Garraway spent Christmas Day in hospital with her husband Derek Draper as he was ‘too unwell’ to go home – after suffering a cardiac arrest last month (pictured in February 2022)
The Good Morning Britain host announced the death of her husband of 18 years at the age of 56 on Instagram on Friday morning, almost four years after he first fell seriously ill with Covid resulting in a plague of health woes
Kate made a desperate 12-hour flight home from Mexico with husband Derek Draper, where he had been undergoing specialist treatment, after he suffered a cardiac arrest last month.
The Sun reports Kate and Derek ventured to Mexico ‘without fanfare’ in November for treatment which went ‘incredibly well’ only for him to suffer a cardiac arrest ahead of their return home in time for Christmas.
Ex-lobbyist Derek was stabilised and put in an air ambulance for the 12-hour flight, with his beloved wife by his side.
With a source telling the publication: ‘The treatment went incredibly well, and his doctor and all the consultants were hugely optimistic about his long-term progress, and future’.
‘Unfortunately as Kate excitedly returned to bring Derek home he suffered a cardiac arrest’.
The broadcaster was by Derek’s side in intensive care in Mexico and worked with UK doctors who oversaw his return via a specialist plane.
Adding: ‘Unfortunately, despite the doctors in Mexico getting his heart beating stably again, Covid damage meant further complications ultimately affected his chance of recovery.’
Kate frequently kept fans updated on his health struggles and his difficult journey during his Covid battle, previously sharing his heartbreaking last request before he was hospitalised.
Kate, Derek and their two children Darcey, 17, and Billy, 14, spent their final Christmas as a family together beside his hospital bed (pictured 2019)
Kate Garraway made a desperate 12-hour flight home from Mexico with husband Derek, where he had been undergoing specialist treatment (pictured in October)
Ex-lobbyist Derek was stabilised and put in an air ambulance for the 12-hour flight, with his beloved wife by his side (pictured April 2023)
According to reports Kate and Derek ventured to Mexico ‘without fanfare’ in November for treatment which went ‘incredibly well’ only for him to suffer a cardiac arrest ahead of their return home in time for Christmas (pictured together in 2007)
While Derek was waiting for an ambulance before being taken to hospital in March 2020, he asked his two beloved children to ‘look after’ Kate.
He told them: ‘You’re the best children anybody could ever have asked for. Look after Mum, be good for her”,’ Kate previously shared while discussing his Covid battle in June 2020.
Derek was in and out of hospital after he fell seriously ill with coronavirus at the very start of the pandemic in March 2020, and was left with lasting damage to his organs.
Doctors put him in a medically induced coma and he became the longest-suffering coronavirus patient in the UK after spending 13 months in hospital, away from Kate and their two children.
However, he was readmitted several times with numerous health issues, including kidney failure, brain inflammation and liver damage.
Kate previously praised the children’s handling of their late father’s illness and gave an insight into their precious relationship.
She said her children tried to remain positive when Derek was first hospitalised in 2020, and would chat to him over video call when they were unable to visit him due to lockdown restrictions.
The television presenter told HELLO! magazine: ‘We’re keeping positive and doing everything we can to bring him around.
Kate has praised her two children for the way they handled her husband Derek Draper’s Covid battle (the family are pictured in 2021)
‘The children and I communicate with him every day on FaceTime, while a nurse holds his iPad. My priority is to make the children feel safe, not to let them see me feeling vulnerable in the world where Derek was my rock.’
She added: ‘During their chats, they tell him what they’ve been doing, and their sense of humour often shines through. Darcey, who wants to be a barrister, said: “Dad, you’d better get better soon because I’m getting cleverer every day. You’ll never win an argument if you don’t get well soon”.’
Kate also praised her ‘heroic’ children for knowing ‘how to communicate’ with their father when he returned home from hospital but was left unable to talk due to his illness in 2021.
She told Zoe Ball on BBC Radio 2 at the time: ‘He isn’t really able to speak at the moment so he can’t tell him off, I have to be the bad guy! They are besides themselves to have him home. They are my heroes.
‘They know instinctively how to talk to him but not ask too much from him. In a way that grownups want to see the old Derek, they have an instinct, there is a lot of love there.’
On Friday January 5, Kate emotionally paid tribute to Derek and gushed that she was ‘so lucky’ to have him as she confirmed his death.
She to Instagram to share a heartfelt post announced the passing of her husband following a long battle with Covid.
Kate also shared that she was by her husband’s side ‘holding his hand’ during his final hours and gushed that she was ‘so lucky’ to have him in her life.
Kate shared that she was by her husband’s side ‘holding his hand’ during his final hours as she penned an emotional tribute alongside a smiling picture of Derek
She wrote: ‘I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away.
She confirmed he had died at the age of 56 after suffering a heart attack before Christmas and thanked the medical teams who fought ‘so hard to save him’.
‘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.’