Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper in Christmas ‘scare’ after reaching huge milestone in his recovery
KATE Garraway has revealed her husband Derek Draper suffered a "scare" 21 months after he was struck down with Covid.
The 54-year-old has been caring for Derek since he returned home from hospital in April as he continues to recover from his battle with Covid-19.
And while Kate admits Christmas was "bumpy" she says that "everything feels suddenly perfect" as the family end the day watching a festive film together.
Sharing a rare snap of her husband with their children Darcey, 15, and Billy, 12, Kate said she was feeling "grateful" for family time after Derek suffered a "scare" on Christmas Eve.
"So the last 24 hours has been bumpy - a scare that meant Derek might have had to go back into hospital (thankfully sorted by a visit from nurse/carer)," she told fans on Instagram.
"He has also had one of his ultra fatigue days so has been too weak to do much other than sleep.
"I burnt the parsnips ( Darceys favourite ) & got the “wrong” Lego for Billy.
"But now snuggled up around Dad’s bed watching #nativity everything feels suddenly perfect.
"Feel so grateful to have the chance to be together.
"Sending love & hoping you have found some joy today whatever your circumstances - #merrychristmas all!"
Earlier this week, after a difficult two years, Kate didn't have any trouble raising a smile as she pushed Derek in a wheelchair on their way to enjoy an afternoon out at the pantomime with their two children.
In pictures obtained by the Derek flashed a smile for the cameras too as he's seen outside for the first time since contracting Covid in March 2020.
The family went to watch Cinderella at Richmond Theatre in West London on Wednesday.
And Kate admitted that having Derek home for Christmas this year was "the greatest gift’ she could receive".
"Last Christmas Eve, we did have a lot of promise and a lot of hope but Derek was in hospital," she said.
"We had no idea whether he was going to live or die, praying that it was going in the right direction."
Just days later Kate updated Good Morning Britain viewers about her Christmas plans.
Speaking on the ITV breakfast show, Kate, 54, told co-host Richard Bacon, 46, about the extraordinary moment they realised the former lobbyist "could understand" her.
She detailed how it meant that while he is still physically in recovery following his two-year long battle with the virus, he will still be involved this Christmas.
"Sometimes it's like he's not present with you," the mother-of-two explained of her husband, who is still having trouble with communicating verbally.
But despite his fatigue and mobility issues, Kate revealed he had laughed during a family discussion about money ahead of the festive season.
"Who's most likely to find money on the floor and keep it?" her family had been asked as part of a fun game at home, which Derek sat in on.
"Everyone in the room all said at the same time, 'Darcy!' and Derek started to laugh," Kate explained. "It was a lovely moment because you thought, 'He does get it, he does understand'."
Richard went on to ask whether the moments were happening more often, as the TV star explained she had been full of "hope" over Derek's recent improvements.
"You get these extraordinary flashes which create a huge surge of hope," she explained. "That has to sustain you through the periods where it feels like there's never any change."
Staying positive, she added: "But most of all we're lucky that we have the chance, because of a lot of people passed away."
She also thanked NHS staff for helping her through the tough times, concluding: "You have to remember in the midst of it there are the good things that came out of the pandemic, there's the sharing, the community and the kindness."
Discussing what their Christmas will look like this year, Kate admitted that she is happy to have Derek home although they're adjusting to a "new normal" as he continues his recovery.
Adding insult to injury, the GMB star also revealed that no one wants her to host Christmas dinner as her oven is broken.
She told Woman's Own: "This year, we have got him home - and fingers crossed we can keep him home.
"Of course, he's not going to be putting on his Santa costume going out with Darcey for a father-and-daughter Christmas shop or the same with Billy.
"None of those things are on the horizon at the moment so it's adjusting to a new normal but also grateful he's here at all which we didn't have at all last year and feared would never happen."
Kate added: "The dream would be to get Derek to Chorley. At the moment, moving him is a big problem: it's exhausting for him.
"If not, maybe the Drapers could come to us for a big gathering, Covid permitting.
"And certainly I'll be seeing the Garraways but my oven is broken so I'm not sure anyone wants to come to me."
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Earlier this month, viewers watched the Good Morning Britain host break down in tears over her husband Derek during an appearance on Piers Morgan Life Stories.
Derek was rushed to hospital in March last year after contracting Covid-19.
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He was critically ill and spent over a year in hospital, before finally returning home to be cared for by Kate and their children in April.