Kate Garraway has shared heartbreaking details of her husband Derek Draper’s final moments.
The Good Morning Britain presenter laid her husband to rest on Saturday after he sadly died following a long battle with Covid-19 on January 3rd.
The presenter’s husband, who suffered serious health complications after contracting the virus in March 2020, had been critically ill after suffering a cardiac arrest in December.
On Monday, Kate returned to ITV’s Good Morning Britain via video link to give her first interview since the death of her husband.
During her interview, the mum-of-two revealed the final words her 17-year-old daughter Darcey told Derek before he passed away.
Darcey told him: “We will be OK. Don’t worry about mum. We will be fine. You don’t have to worry about looking after us all. You will live on through us.”
The 56-year-old said she was overwhelmed by the “unbelievable love” she has received since Derek’s passing, which included heartfelt letters from King Charles, Prince William and Princess Kate.
“I know that Catherine has been in hospital herself, so I really appreciated that,” she said.
“And I had a letter from the King, who knows a lot about grief. It was lovely to hear from them and understand the emotions that I am going through.”
Kate went on to thank her colleague Susanna Reid for putting together a book of condolence from viewers.
“They arrived with this this morning. I believe Susanna you were part of this. This is from you, beautifully done, thank you. Messages for Derek,” she said.
“I’ve also got by the way here three baskets full of messages, cards from viewers, from crew there, and I’m sure you picked out many of them from here. It’s just amazing. It feels like my emotions are at 110 per cent.
“The unbelievable love that we all have as a GMB family. It’s just wonderful, and ITV generally. I think we are just very, very lucky – you’re going to make me cry already, so let’s try and get a couple of minutes in – the love that we have as a family altogether which is people watching at home…
“It’s you at home, that we’re so connected, and we’ve always been connected in all our joys and all our fun and the challenges of life of which poor Derek has faced head on and our family has done as well.
“But having those messages, it makes me weep because I feel so grateful, and I’m also aware that there are people this morning that don’t have that sense of love and just want to share with you.”
Ahead of returning to Good Morning Britain full-time on Thursday, Kate said she was “keen to keep busy and get back to work”.
Kate’s husband Derek was hospitalised in March 2020 after contracting Covid-19, and spent over a year in ICU as he suffered long-term damage to his organs.
The 56-year-old was released from the hospital in April 2021 and had been receiving round-the-clock care at home.
Kate married Derek back in 2005, and the couple shared two children – Darcey, 16, and Billy, 12.
