Kate Garraway says the fact her husband Derek Draper has got his accent back is “miraculous” and has given her and the family real hope he can make a recovery
The 53-year-old presenter appeared on Good Morning Britain to discuss her new documentary Finding Derek which airs on ITV on Tuesday.
Viewers will see Kate and their children Darcey and Billy speaking to their dad Derek on FaceTime in the programme.
Derek remains in intensive care and although he no longer has the coronavirus, but Covid has left its mark on his body as he is dealing with kidney failure, damage to his liver and pancreas and heart failure, having come out of a coma last year.
Asked about the near-daily Facetime sessions with Derek, Kate told GMB: “Conversations are stretching it, maybe it is more words. That gives you hope.
“There are moments in the documentary where people who know Derek will know that he is there and for so long that has been the horror, is he still in there? Is he still trapped inside himself or is he gone.
“He has even got his accent back, there is even some good old Chorley coming through. You can't take Chorley out of a man. So that is miraculous.”
Derek, 53, was born in Chorley, Lancashire and attended Southlands High School in the town.
Speaking on GMB, Kate also said she won't be giving up work to care for husband Derek as he will need expert medical support for years to come.
Speaking in her new documentary in a scene from December she referenced the possibility of giving up work to care for him full time.
But admitting that wouldn't work for either of them, she said to her normal co-host Ben Shephard: “You can't get rid of me that easily, Shephard, I'm not going anywhere!
“I don't think I ever really saw it as ever giving up work. I saw it as 'right I am going to have to change my future'.
“Actually, the reality is that ITV, Smooth Radio, everybody has been so supportive and to be honest, being here has kept me sane, not just because you are all amazing and supportive but people at home are so supportive, and it's a slice of normal. It's a slice of life before.
“And the truth is, that as much as I might think I have all the answers sometimes, Derek doesn't need me. I am not the person to care for him.
"Obviously I would be there completely 100% If that would make a difference.
"But actually what Derek needs is specialists, professional medical support ongoing, because there is a good chance that he can improve. People in this situation need expertise and I'm not an expert.”
Earlier this week in an interview with the Mirror, Kate told how she had bought Derek an iPad last June so with help from nurses they were able to see him and speak to him every day, even in lockdown.
She has also found a way to include Derek already in home life, using an iPad propped up so he can sometimes join her and children Darcey and Billy around the dinner table.
She added: “We have done things where the only time Derek’s been free, we’re about to eat, so I’ll prop the iPad up on the kitchen table and the three of us will have our tea and have Dad there,” Kate explains.
“I feel that sometimes actually the sounds of home, even if it’s not directly talking at him, must be very comforting too, I would hope, as well.”
Due to lockdown Kate and her two children have been unable to visit Derek in hospital since Christmas.
* Finding Derek is on ITV tonight at 9pm. Kate Garraway The Power of Hope is available for pre-order now.
