Kate Garraway says the fear of her husband Derek dying has ‘never left her’ because of his ‘many’ emergency trips to the hospital: ‘We’re living on a rollercoaster’

Kate Garraway has opened up about how she is coping with her husband Derek Draper’s health battle as she admitted the fear of him dying has never left her.

The Good Morning Britain host, 56, spoke to Good Housekeeping about his ongoing condition and what the past few years have taught her.

Kate revealed that since coming home, Derek has been rushed back to hospital ‘many times’, which she admitted can feel like they are living on a rollercoaster.

She told the publication: ‘I’d love to be able to tell you that, since Derek has been home, everything has been easy, that the miracle of him being at home has turned the day-to-day challenges into a breeze. 

‘But because we keep having emergency setbacks and he’s had to be rushed back into hospital so many times, the fear of him dying has never left us. The unpredictability of his day-to-day condition means we’re living on a rollercoaster.’

Candid: Kate Garraway has opened up about how she is coping with her husband Derek Draper’s health battle as she admitted the fear of him dying has never left her

Struggles: Kate revealed that since coming home, Derek (pictured) has been rushed back to hospital ‘many times’, which she admitted can feel like they are living on a rollercoaster.

Kate, who shares her children Darcy, 17, and Billy, 14, with Derek, also discussed her new book, The Strength of Love.

She explained how the book details what has helped her on her path so far but admitted she ‘can’t promise to have all of the answers’. 

Kate said: ‘My struggle is a work in progress – but in the book, I’ve shared what has helped me so far and things that have set me on a happier path.’

Revealing that some parts of the book are quite dark, she added: ‘I’ve tried to keep things hopeful, but I’ve also written about the darker moments, too.’

One of the lighter moments, was when Kate was able to take Derek to watch Elton John live at the O2, after playing the Rocket Man singer’s songs to him while he was in a coma. 

She said: ‘When we managed to get Derek to see him live at the O2, it felt like a miracle. As he’s trapped in bed and at home for days on end, being able to do something like that energised him, even if just for the few hours he was there.’

Kate went on to explain that while caring for Derek and her children, she has to remember to take moments to herself. 

She said: ‘I’ve been experimenting with ways to take control of my own happiness. I now deliberately carve out time to give myself the gift of doing something that only helps me. 

Interview: The Good Morning Britain host, 56, spoke to Good Housekeeping about his ongoing condition and what the past few years have taught her

‘It might be only 10 minutes of something physical, such as stretching, pottering in the garden with a mug of tea, or reading something not related to work. 

‘And I’ve put some fun girls’ nights in the diary with Charlotte Hawkins, Ranvir Singh and Susanna Reid.’

It comes after Kate discussed Derek, also 56, being in and out of hospital after he seriously ill with coronavirus at the very start of the pandemic in March 2020, and was left with lasting damage to his organs.

Doctors put him in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator and he was in hospital for 13 months.

Kate recently appeared on Heart Breakfast on Monday alongside Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston where she spoke about her husband’s health problems and how it impacts the family.

Jamie asked: ‘How are the kids feeling, that adjustment must be tricky especially at their age?’ 

Candid: It comes after Kate discussed Derek, also 56, being in and out of hospital after he seriously ill with coronavirus at the very start of the pandemic in March 2020, and was left with lasting damage to his organs

Health: Kate discussed Derek, also 56, being in and out of hospital

Kate replied: ‘Well, yeah I think it’s been quite interesting. I think some of what I’ve been writing about in the book (The Strength of Love), is the fact that you have adrenaline, don’t you, when something dramatic happens.

‘I talk about what I think is adrenaline, it’s a bit of a frenemy. One level it’s fantastic, it gets you through the crisis, and then as time goes on, it’s not great for your own health.

‘Derek himself has been living on a version of adrenaline as well. And the kids have too in their own way, so I think the last year and a half really, has been coming to terms with the fact that we’re not in a ‘one week’ ‘two week’ ‘three month’ drama. 

‘We’re in something ongoing and I think weirdly, that’s how it’s felt for everybody beyond the pandemic.

‘We still don’t know, just how much better Derek can get, or worse. So really every time he has a rush into hospital, we’re still in that adrenaline phase of ‘is this the moment where he could be taken from us’.

‘But also, there’s so many spikes of progression, that no one’s giving up hope that there isn’t going to be a movement forward, so it’s managing that rollercoaster. Sorry that wasn’t particularly clear.’

Amanda then weighed in on Derek’s progress, calling it ‘amazing’ and he continues to go ‘up and up and up’. 

Kate agreed: ‘It’s interesting, he comes most alive I think when he’s around, not so much me, let’s be honest, but no, of course there is a huge amount of love for me.

Interview: Kate appeared on Heart Breakfast on Monday alongside Amanda Holden and Jamie Theakston where she spoke about her husband’s health problems

‘[But] he does come alive and you can see him kind of trying to be the old Dad as much as he can, trying to make them laugh, trying to do different things.

 ‘But they’ve had to realise that, I mean Derek was this kind of loud, rumbustious, huge, you know… overwhelming… [man], and god how we loved it, but he’s not that now, so they’ve had to readjust,” the GMB host added, gushing over how well her teenage daughter and young son have navigated the situation “brilliantly”‘.

It comes after Kate praised her two children for the way they have handled her husband Derek Draper’s Covid battle.

She said: ‘I think it’s been quite interesting, I think some of what I’ve been writing about in the book [The Strength of Love], is the fact that you have adrenaline, don’t you, when something dramatic happens.

‘I talk about what I think is adrenaline, it’s a bit of a frenemy. One level it’s fantastic, it gets you through the crisis, and then as time goes on, it’s not great for your own health.

‘Derek himself has been living on a version of adrenaline as well. And the kids have too in their own way, so I think the last year and a half really, has been coming to terms with the fact that we’re not in a “one week” “two week” “three month” drama.

‘We’re in something ongoing and I think weirdly, that’s how its felt for everybody beyond the pandemic.’

She continued: ‘We still don’t know, just how much better Derek can get, or worse. So really every time he has a rush into hospital, we’re still in that adrenaline phase of “is this the moment where he could be taken from us?”

‘But also, there’s so many spikes of progression, that no one’s giving up hope that there isn’t going to be a movement forward. So it’s managing that rollercoaster.’

Discussing the relationship between the kids and Derek, she said: ‘He’s their Daddy. And it’s interesting, he comes most alive I think when he’s around, not so much me, let’s be honest, but no, of course there is a huge amount of love for me!

‘He does come alive and you can see him kind of trying to be the old Dad as much as he can, trying to make them laugh, trying to do different things.

Family: Kate appeared on Heart Breakfast on Monday where she spoke about how her and Derek’s daughter Darcey, 17, and son William, 14, are dealing with their father’s illness, gushing that they were ‘navigating it brilliantly’ (pictured in 2021)

‘But they’ve had to realise that, I mean Derek was this kind of loud, rumbustious, huge, you know… overwhelming… and god how we loved it, but he’s not that now, so they’ve had to readjust.

‘You know how you bounce off your parents, different boundaries, and they are doing it brilliantly. They’re navigating it brilliantly.’

Kate has made two documentaries detailing her life as Derek battles the long-term effects of Covid-19, with both winning National Television Awards in the authored documentary category.

She was recognised with an MBE in the 2022 New Year Honours for her services to broadcasting, journalism and charity.

Kate said: ‘I worry that I’m failing on every front, at everything. But I’ve got to keep going and fight on for Derek.’

The November 2023 issue of Good Housekeeping is now on sale 

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