Emotional Kate Garraway says she ‘can’t believe’ husband Derek ‘isn’t here to watch his story’ ahead of ITV documentary
KATE Garraway has revealed her sadness ahead of a documentary following husband Derek Draper’s death.
Next week Kate, 56, will front a programme detailing the final year of Derek’s life, after he died at 56 following a four-year battle with Covid.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain the presenter confessed she “can’t quite believe” Derek isn’t here to watch his story.
She told co-host Ed Balls: “It’s been pretty emotional actually. Makes you want to jump in the screen and give him a hug.
“You can’t quite believe that he’s not with us to watch his story.
“But, hopefully, it will be very useful for others who that are going through the same thing. That’s the dream and the wish.”
Discussing the trailer for the documentary, Ed, 57, said: “It was very moving to hear him speak in [that] clip we played a couple of days ago.
“Because at the same time, there’s a fragility but also it is absolutely the Derek I’ve known for 30 years.”
Kate replied: “You’re right, there’s fragility, vulnerability, obviously deep ill-health and damage, but yeah he was his own man until the end.”
Mum-of-two Kate continued that it was Derek’s idea to make the programme in the hopes it would help those also suffering from long-term illness.
The documentary will also show how Kate supported Derek through his four-year health battle – and looks back to their early years together.
And last week she revealed his heartbreaking final message ahead of the show.
Kate said: “I asked Derek, ‘What would be your main message?’
“And he said, ‘Never give up fighting for what you believe in and for the people you love’.
“His words and speech were so limited and there were so many things he wanted to say about the struggle we were all having as a family.
“So we set out to make Derek‘s story together to highlight how he and our family are just one of millions who, every day, have to deal with the challenges of severe disability or life-threatening illness.”
In March 2020, Derek was rushed to hospital due to a Covid infection, which sparked years of heartbreaking health battles.
After being taken to hospital, Derek spent 214 days on a ventilator, nearly four months in an induced coma and lost eight stone, as well as his ability to speak properly.
After he moved back home in April 2021, Derek required round the clock care and was rushed back to hospital with “life-threatening” sepsis in August the following year.
Following this, Derek was struck down with more ill health.
In December 2023, Kate was by her husband’s side once more after he suffered a huge heart attack.