Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper has died aged 56 after battling long Covid for years, the TV presenter confirmed today.
Derek had been plagued with health woes after contracting the virus in March 2020, which saw him put in a coma, battle sepsis and left with difficulties communicating.
The former lobbyist and political adviser suffered a cardiac arrest in early December, with Kate spending Christmas with him in hospital.
In a statement on Instagram this morning, she revealed that the father-of-two died ‘surrounded by his family’ and that she was ‘holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed’.
Here, MailOnline details his battle against long Covid.
Derek, 56, who has been plagued with health woes after contracting Covid in 2020, was said to be in critical condition (pictured in June with Kate’s parents Gordon and Marilyn)
Kate revealed she was holding her husband’s hand when she died
MARCH 2020
Derek contracted the virus in March 2020.
Kate revealed that she had got ‘relatively close’ with King Charles, who was later diagnosed with Covid, at the Prince’s Trust Awards on March 11.
Around March 29, she revealed that Derek looked ill and was suffering from a headache, numbness in his right hand and was struggling to breathe.
She said: ‘I rang Dr Hilary (Jones) and tried to get through, he talked to Derek. He said put me back on, I think you need to call an ambulance’.
Derek was then taken into hospital on March 30 where he remained in an unresponsive condition.
APRIL
Derek was admitted to intensive care and was ‘very ill’, Kate said at the time.
She added: ‘I’m afraid he is still in a deeply critical condition, but he is still here, which means there is hope.’
Kate and her children isolated at home after she displayed ‘mild symptoms’.
MAY
Kate confirmed that Derek was still fighting for his life in hospital.
She said: ‘The journey for me and my family seems to be far from over as every day my heart sinks as I learn new and devastating ways this virus has more battles for Derek to fight.
‘But he is still HERE & so there is still hope.’
She added: ‘I’ll never give up on that because Derek’s the love of my life but at the same time I have absolute uncertainty’.
JUNE
On June 5, Kate revealed Derek was free from Covid but was still fighting against the damage the virus had inflicted on his body.
JULY
On July 5, Kate revealed Derek had woken from his coma, but remained in a serious condition.
Later that month, Kate revealed she’d paid an ‘extra emotional’ first visit to Derek and admitted she was ‘frustrated’ by his slow progress.
AUGUST
On August 14, Kate reassured GMB viewers that Derek was ‘still with us,’ but added it was ‘a waiting game.’
Later that month, Kate revealed she celebrated Derek’s birthday with their two children, describing the day as ‘challenging’ for her family.
SEPTEMBER
At the end of September, Derek reportedly becomes the longest surviving patient with Covid after spending 184 days in and out of intensive care.
Kate reveals Derek had lost 8st during his battle.
The presenter announced she was returning to her Smooth Radio show so that Derek could hear her voice.
OCTOBER
On October 30, Kate revealed that Derek had spoken for the first time in seven months, saying the word ‘pain’ to his wife, who watched on ‘in tears’ over FaceTime.
Kate said a day later that her husband continued to improve and no longer needed a ventilator to breathe.
JANUARY 2021
Kate reveals she and her children got to visit Derek in hospital over the Christmas period — the first time her family had seen him since he was initially hospitalised.
But she added she was then banned from seeing him due to fresh Covid restrictions introduced during the Government’s third lockdown.
MARCH
Kate revealed that she was adapting her home to suit Derek’s needs when he leaves hospital, in the ITV documentary Finding Derek.
The programmed was praised by viewers for offering a heartbreaking look at the long-term effects of a Covid infection.
Kate also revealed that Derek has ‘no muscle left’ since battling Covid.
Patients rapidly lose muscle when in hospital, with studies suggesting two per cent of muscle is lost per day during the first week a patient spends in intensive care.
APRIL
Derek left hospital but required round-the-clock care once he was returned home.
MAY
Kate revealed that his communication abilities were ‘minimal’ and he ‘couldn’t really move’.
AUGUST
Speaking on GMB Kate reveals that Derek is battling more long Covid symptoms.
She said: ‘All the time there are more issues!’.
Long Covid symptoms include extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, muscle aches, memory problems, chest pain, sleeping difficulties and heart palpitations.
DECEMBER
During an appearance on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, Kate said that Derek had said ‘I love you’ for the first time.
After celebrating Christmas, Derek was also pictured in a wheelchair during a trip to the pantomime with his family.
JANUARY 2022
Kate revealed that Derek was ‘very fatigued’ and ‘very weak’ following the family outing, adding: ‘I don’t know what this year is going to bring.’
FEBRUARY
Kate offered a glimpse into the daily struggles of looking after her husband in the documentary Caring For Derek, which aired on ITV on February 22.
She said that Derek would die within three days if he was left alone to care for himself.
The couple had taken a ‘gruelling’ trip to Mexico in early 2022 for experimental treatment aiming to improve his health, the show revealed.
JULY
On July 6, Kate revealed that Derek had been re-admitted to hospital after suffering a ‘downturn’.
On July 20, it was reported that Kate had pulled out of hosting Good Morning Britain to be at Derek’s bedside after he took a ‘very serious’ turn for the worse.
It was later confirmed that Derek had contracted ‘life-threatening sepsis’ as a complication from a kidney infection.
JANUARY 2023
Kate confronted former health secretary Matt Hancock over his handling of the pandemic and his decision to go on I’m a Celebrity …Get Me Out of Here.
Describing public anger towards him, Kate added of his decision: ‘This gives the impression you still don’t get why they are cross. You still don’t get why people are upset. They want to hold you to more account.’
APRIL
Derek was readmitted to hospital, Kate revealed in an Instagram post.
She shared the emotional moment Sir Elton John dedicated a song to the ‘inspiring’ couple, writing: ‘Yes Derek has been back in hospital this week & yes there’s such a long road ahead but #eltonjohn & @davidfurnish you gave the kids & Derek a moment that we will never forget and has lifted their spirits again to feel anything is possible.’
It was reported that Kate was planning a trip across the world for pioneering treatment in a ‘final hope’ to help her husband.
DECEMBER
Derek suffers a major heart attack which left him fighting for his life once again.
Kate spent Christmas with him at the hospital.
JANUARY 2024
On January 5 Kate confirmed that Derek died.
In a post on social media, she said that her husband died surrounded by family and that she was ‘holding his hand throughout the last long hours’.
She said his Covid infection had left him with lasting damage to his heart which had led to ‘further complications’.
Kate also thanked the medical teams for making his final moments as ‘comfortable and dignified as possible.’
MailOnline understands Derek passed away on Wednesday night (January 3) in a North London hospital.
