Kate Garraway has revealed people “don’t know what to say” to her daughter Darcey, 17, and son Billy, 14, after the death of her husband Derek Draper.
The presenter, 56, returned to Good Morning Britain after Derek’s funeral last week. The former political lobbyist died at the age of 56 on January 3 due to cardiac arrest, after years of multiple health complications after contracting Covid.
Kate said that in the weeks since, friends and strangers are struggling to know what is best to say to her grieving family.
In a segment highlighting those who had lost loved ones to Covid on Friday’s show, Kate said: “I’m also trying to help, I mean, I don’t begin to understand how to help myself.”
‘But I’m also trying to help my children and one of the things they’ve said is that people don’t know what to tell them.
Kate Garraway has revealed people “don’t know what to say” to her daughter Darcey, 17, and son Billy, 14, following the death of her husband Derek Draper.
The presenter, 56, returned to Good Morning Britain after Derek’s funeral last week (pictured with Darcey and Billy).
Kate said that in the weeks since, friends and strangers are struggling to know what is best to say to her grieving family.
‘They want to help their friends and other people feel comfortable continuing to have a relationship with them, not to ignore them but to do it.
Addressing Larry Lamb, who was on the show talking about how Marie Curie cared for her brother Wesley, who died in 2019, and Marie Curie’s grief counselor Claire Collins, she said: ‘What advice would you give to people who Do you know other people? loss?’
Kate then gave a special shout-out to her co-star Ben Shephard, who has been a pillar of support for the family. She said: “I mean, Ben is in that situation with me, you’re brilliant at that.”
Elsewhere on the show, Kate revealed she was attacked on social media by trolls for laughing when she returned to Good Morning Britain on Thursday.
She said: “I got some criticism on social media yesterday for laughing at you (Ben), as if that meant I didn’t care… I have to laugh!”
The segment focused on the widespread feelings of grief shared by millions of people who lost loved ones during the Covid pandemic.
Kate admitted she has felt “very numb” since losing Derek and is only in the early stages of grieving as a result of what Covid did to her family.
She said: ‘We were talking about this time last year, about the day of reflection and its importance.
‘And I mean, obviously, I’m in a different place talking about it now. And I am very aware of the feeling of grief, although also very aware that I am really only in the early stages and that there are many different stages to all of this.’
Derek Draper (pictured) died on January 5 aged 56 after a four-year battle with Covid complications.
The segment focused on the widespread feelings of grief shared by millions of people who lost loved ones during the Covid pandemic.
Larry Lamb was on the show talking about how Marie Curie cared for her brother Wesley, who died in 2019.
Kate admitted she has felt “very numb” since losing Derek and is only in the early stages of grieving as a result of what Covid did to her family.
Kate later said: ‘We’re not prepared to lose. Nobody is prepared for it. No one wants to be able to face it, but we will all face it at some point in our lives.’
Draper’s funeral, attended by the likes of former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair, musician Sir Elton and Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer, was held last Friday at St Mary the Virgin Church in Primrose Hill, north-west London.
Kate praised Derek’s “spirit and fight to keep going” and said her children Darcey and Billy had been “extraordinary throughout.”
She said: “It feels like five years and two minutes since Derek was in a positive situation before the cardiac arrest that took him from us.
He added that people asked him why he was going back to work so soon, but he said: “Life has to begin.” We have to get up and move forward.
‘That’s what Derek would want me to do. Thanks to everyone who made this possible.”