Kate Garraway reveals Elton John offered to help husband Derek Draper after he was put into a coma due to coronavirus
KATE Garraway has revealed Sir Elton John offered to help husband Derek Draper after he was put into a coma due to coronavirus.
The Good Morning Britain presenter appeared on Wednesday morning's show to speak about her husband's 100-day hospital battle.
The story has touched the hearts of the nation - including superstar Elton, who reached out to Kate to offer his help.
Kate told hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid: "Elton John contacted me. It was so strange, he was like 'Hi Kate, it's Elton.'
"I was like 'Elton... John?' It's so strange, we do have a mutual friend, which I didn't know about.
"And because of all the work he does with the AIDS Foundation he was like, 'What can I do to help? I know a bit about antiviral stuff. And I'm on board, I'm on board, I'll try to help.'
"He's incredible. And I was so desperate. At this point it was really hard to communicate with the hospital, so I was like, 'yes, yes, please help!'
"I put the phone down and I was like, 'I know this is extraordinary, but that was Elton John. And I think he's going to help'."
Kate revealed in an interview at the weekend that Derek had emerged from his coma after 98 days in hospital and even opened his eyes.
She said: "When medical staff say, ‘Good morning, Derek,’ he sometimes opens his eyes. We and the doctors are doing everything we can so that he can start to recover.”
However, in a rare social media post she also sounded a note of caution, saying the day he returned home having recovered still seemed "very uncertain" amid these "ghastly times".
The star also revealed to Good Morning Britain that Derek almost died six times as his organs failed during his COVID-19 battle.
She said: "A doctor who has treated him in two hospitals said 'he’s as sick as anyone I’ve ever seen in 35 years of medicine'.
"Six times they said he’s not going to make it. He’s been very, very sick."
Earlier this week Kate said her husband has lost a "huge amount of weight" during his battle with coronavirus.
The 53-year-old said he looked "so different" when she saw him during an iPad video call after nurses were forced to shave his face because his beard grew too big.
Speaking to , Kate explained: "Derek's lost a huge amount of weight and when the nurse shaved him because his beard had grown so long, he looked so different."
Referring to their children Darcey, 14, and Billy, ten, FaceTiming their dad, she said: "They'd never seen him without stubble or a beard before.
"During their chats, they tell him what they've been doing and their sense of humour often shines through."