Derek Draper is expecting an emotional visit from his parents this weekend as he gears up to see them for the first time in over a year.
The political lobbyist had been the UK's longest running in-patient for Covid-19 after he fell ill with the coronavirus last year.
His wife Kate Garraway is thrilled after her husband finally returned home this week following a devastating 12 months.
Good Morning Britain presenter Kate, 53, was snapped beaming as she was pictured outside her London home on Friday.
Now her in-laws will have a reunion with their son over the coming days, it has been reported.
His shielding elderly parents, grandparents to the couple’s children Darcey, 15, and Billy, 11, have stayed in touch on Zoom and facetime.
Now they will see him for the first time in person since he slipped into a coma last March.
A source told The Sun : “Poor Derek has had barely any human interaction over the past 12 months, the only real physical contact he’s had is with doctors and nurses.
“His folks live in Lancashire and have suffered terribly throughout his illness.
"At the height of lockdown, and after the Tier system got brought in, they weren’t allowed to visit Derek - even after he became more responsive.
“Like all of Derek’s friends and family, they’re delighted their son is back home, surrounded by those he loves."
On Friday brave Kate confirmed Derek was finally home.
But she said he has 24/7 care and is staying in the family’s living room in a hospital bed.
"It’s going to be very slow I’m afraid," she revealed on GMB. "So, the physiotherapy and the occupational therapy, speech and language therapy..."
She also added: "He can’t really move, we do need a lot of help."
Upon news of Derek's return home, a friend of the family said medical experts are now looking at unique ways to give him every chance of making the best recovery.
They added: "This past year has given Derek and Kate an absolutely unbreakable bond.
"She has been such a rock, and a total inspiration to everyone battling their own horror stories with the pernicious disease."
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