Kate Garraway was left overwhelmed as she came face-to-face with a woman who cared for her husband Derek Draper after he was left gravely ill with coronaviurus.
As the country went into its first strict lockdown in March 2020, as Covid rates stated to rapidly climb, Derek was taken into hospital after being struck down by symptoms and, when his condition rapidly deteriorated, the former political aide was placed in a medically induced coma. Fraught with worry, Kate and the couple's to children, Billy and Darcy, were unable to visit him for months and months due to restrictions, having to rely on hospital updates as they willed him to get better.
Thankfully Derek pulled through, being one of the worst affected Covid survivors in the whole of the UK, and last spring, was allowed to return home. Since then, TV and radio presenter wife has been positive but realistic about his recovery, telling viewers of Good Morning Britain that he still has a long way to go.
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Kate was back at the helm of the ITV show on Friday, alongside Richard Bacon and got a huge surprise when she got to meet Beth, a woman who she didn't realise had looked after Derek. Kate and Richard were joined on the show by celebrated children's author Michael Risen. Like Derek, Michael, was left in a very bad way due to Covid, having to spend several weeks in intensive care.
Kate and Richard surprised the much loved writer by bringing Beth into the studio and it was then that Kate found out that Beth also cared for Derek too. Interviewing Beth, Kate said: "I have to ask, on a personal note, Derek, I think, was two beds away from Michael. So did you care for him?" After finding out from Beth that she did also look after Derek, Kate exclaimed: "Oh my god, that's amazing," with Richard also looking taken aback.
Kate added: ""Thank you so much by the way," before Beth told her: "We did everything we could. We put our all into it." Becoming increasingly moved, Kate then paused for a second as she commented: "I don't know whether I can leap up and hug you, but I'm going to. Are we allowed to? We're allowed to hug now, aren't we?" After being given the green light, Kate embraced Beth, before telling her: "I'm quite overwhelmed as I’ve not seen the faces of anyone from that time so it’s lovely. And thank you on behalf of Derek."
