Kate Garraway moved Good Morning Britain viewers with a heartbreaking admission from Derek Draper during an interview about dementia care on Monday.
During the episode, Kate, 57, opened up about her late husband Derek Draper, who died in January at the age of 56 from complications of Covid-19.
Joined by Ed Balls, Kate spoke about Derek, the father of her two children, during an emotional chat with guests John and Nula.
The couple, who married in 2016, met while visiting their respective spouses, who both suffered from dementia and lived in a nursing home.
Kate began the chat by talking about how the couple met under “the saddest circumstances” but that “it brought something positive.”
Kate Garraway, 57, received an outpouring of support on Monday morning as she returned to Good Morning Britain after two weeks off air to care for her ailing father Gordon.
During the episode, Kate opened up about her late husband Derek Draper, who died in January at the age of 56 from complications of Covid-19.
The couple, who married in 2016, met in the unusual circumstances of both spouses suffering from dementia and living in a nursing home.
On her relationship with John, Nula said: “He didn’t expect it.
‘We were going in and out of a nursing home with caregivers to see their loved one, and Bonnie (John’s late wife) came in and out of James’ (Nula’s late husband) room and I got to meet her.’
‘And I would take her and John downstairs to have coffee and hot chocolate with Bonnie and sometimes I would help her bathe and she would become part of the hallway.
“Her room was next to James’s and I got to know her very well. She didn’t know me, she just saw me as a face that walked through the door and sometimes I smiled and sometimes I didn’t.”
Nula added that she and John emailed each other for a year before getting together.
Sharing her own experience as a carer, Kate said: “This is something I’ve been through a bit. Derek didn’t have dementia but after COVID I had this feeling that he was absolutely the same person, I still loved him so much but there was a change.
‘And with dementia, this doesn’t happen overnight because it’s very slow and the person who cares for them has to learn to love that person that they still love in a different way.’
Derek is survived by his two children with Kate: daughter Darcey, 18, and son Billy Draper, 15.
Monday also marked Kate’s first appearance on GMB in weeks, after she took time out to care for her ailing father, Gordon
Monday also marked Kate’s first appearance on GMB in weeks, after she took time out to care for her ailing father.
Gordon was rushed to hospital in July after suffering a suspected stroke and heart attack and Kate travelled to Cornwall to be there for him.
On Instagram on Saturday, Kate shared her gratitude and appreciation to Virgin Atlantic for helping her through her father’s illness.
Kate was planning a special celebration for Billy’s 15th birthday this week, however, because Kate’s father was rushed to the hospital two weeks ago, she had to make some last-minute changes.
The 57-year-old is keeping her birthday plans under wraps for now, but still took to Instagram to shout out Wendy from Virgin Atlantic for her support with the hashtag ‘#tea&sympathy’.
In the post, Wendy is seen pouring a cup of tea for Kate in the airport lounge and the couple are seen smiling as they take a selfie together.
Kate shared the photos along with an emotional caption that read: ‘Thank you so much to the amazing gang and Wendy for helping me give my son Bill a fantastic birthday.
‘With everything that was going on with my own father, obviously a lot of things had to be cancelled because I wanted to be with him and my mother and I was afraid that I would have to disappoint Bill, once again, and not be able to do any of our summer plans.
On Instagram on Saturday, Kate shared her gratitude to Virgin Atlantic for helping her through her father’s illness.
‘Thanks, however, to the incredible logistical brains of the Virgin team and a flight plan that looked like a spider’s web!
“I’ve managed to keep myself busy and enjoy a little joy in between.”
The mother of two went on to express her gratitude to the team for their understanding: ‘But above all, many thanks to simply by “understanding it” and knowing that the special nature of the trip is as important as the destination.
“Your kindness made this emotional flight so special.”
In July, after failing to appear on his usual Good Morning Britain or Smooth Radio slots, Kate shared that her father had collapsed and suffered a suspected stroke or heart attack.
At the time a source said Sun‘Sadly, Kate’s father collapsed earlier this week while he was with his mother and brother in Cornwall.
‘It was incredibly scary when they found him unconscious and he was immediately taken to hospital.
“It seems likely that he suffered a stroke and possibly a heart attack as well; doctors are still running tests.”
