MY PAIN
KATE Garraway has revealed the tearful moment she told her husband she loved him as he slipped unconscious after begging to be put in a coma.
The emotional television presenter opened up on today's Good Morning Britain about her husband's life-threatening coronavirus battle, following 68 days in hospital.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
3
Appearing from her home in North London, Kate wept as she recalled her final words to Derek before doctors put him in an induced coma.
She said: "He couldn't really speak to me because of the mask, but he was begging me, 'I feel like I'm suffocating, please let them put me in a coma', because there was a debate about that.
"But I said 'no we've got to wait' because if his lungs can handle it that's better. Then on the Sunday morning they rang me up and said we're going to be him in a coma, and he just said to me 'I love you, I am sorry I have to leave you', and I said 'it's only for three or four days and you're going to fine this is good, this is good. This is what you wanted, to rest.'"
Visibly anguished, Kate went on: "He said to me 'you have saved my life, I don't just mean now I mean everything. Being married to you and the children.'
"And I said, 'I love you I love you' and then he was gone and that was it. He was under."
In her first television appearance since Derek was rushed to hospital in March, an emotional Kate also shared the last words Derek said to their two kids Darcy and Bill before he was taken away in the ambulance.
The brave star revealed: "Derek told them 'you're the best children anyone could ask for, be good for mum, look after her' and that was it. He went straight to intensive care."
3
3
The presenter revealed it is a "miracle" her husband is still alive and 68 days into Derek's battle he is now free of the virus.
However, it has wreaked havoc on his body and Derek is not out of the woods yet.
She added: "He's still with us. He has fought the most extraordinary battle. But you know, the fact that he is still here and is holding on. I'm just so grateful he's still here. And I've got the option of praying and hoping.
"He is very very sick. And as time goes on, it's a virus, it's a little bit like a computer virus, there seems to be a flicker of hope and then other things emerge and he's fighting that. It's affected him from the top of his head to the tips of his toes."
Kate added to close friends Ben Shephard and Ranvir Singh: "He's now covid free, the fight of the virus has been won.
"But it's wreaked extradorinary damage on his body and we don't know if he can recover from that.
"It is an absolute miracle that he's still here. I wish for another one, if I could just have one more."
Kate Garraway opens up about her husband Derek Draper's coronavirus battle in an emotional interview on Good Morning Britain
Doctors told Kate that this is the "worst case" they had seen.
She said: "(The doctors) have never seen this before. My doctors say to me he is the worst-affected person they've had to treat.
"They're looking at damage and have some idea what that would mean if it was caused by something else, but this is an unknown virus... They said he is one of five cases in the world like this.
"They call it an evil virus and it is, an evil virus."
She told viewers how Derek's didn't have the two most common symptoms of the virus, a cough or a high temperature.
Kate said: "Derek had a painful shoulder for a couple months, and had been taking medication and having scans.
"He was due to have a steroid injection, he felt unwell and was home tutoring the kids.
"I got back on day and said "you don't you look right babe, I think it's the painkillers."
"I just had this weird feeling, asked if he had a cough. He didn't, he said 'I think I've got weird sinusitis.' I rang the doctor, I said 'you don't look great, no real feeling that it's COVID, he had none of those symptoms."
She went on: "Around the 29/30 March, I came home came in and said 'god you look ill.'
Former Labour adviser Derek, 52, was admitted to hospital on March 30 where he tested positive for Covid-19.
He was admitted to intensive care four days later.
Kate has not been on air following Derek's hospital dash after she began to display symptoms of the deadly bug.
In March Kate had revealed her fears about her loved ones contracting the virus.after meeting with Prince Charles at the Prince's Trust Awards, just days before his coronavirus diagnosis.
She said: "I actually saw him on the 11th of March. It was the first day he'd stopped shaking hands, and we did the namaste greeting at the Prince's Trust.
The Sun says
OUR hearts go out to Kate Garraway and her family, as the nation’s do.
We pray her husband Derek pulls through — and salute Kate and her kids’ courage over the last ten hellish weeks.
Much has changed for Britain in that time.
And the news yesterday on infections is of a huge improvement, down to just one in 1,000 of the population outside hospitals and care homes. That’s more than halved in a week.
Derek’s suffering is a grim reminder of how bad the disease can get and how vigilant we all still need to be.
We must also focus on the overall risk to the nation.
And that — with social distancing, hand hygiene and the far more routine use of masks — is getting smaller by the day.
"I don't have any symptoms, so I'm not blaming him for anything at all, but people are going to be concerned. He's a man that meets a lot of people."
Kate has updated fans each week during the Clap For Carers movement on Thursday nights.
Last week, Kate was seen breaking down in tears as she and her children stood outside their front house to applaud the NHS in the final Clap For Carers.
Kate was seen wiping tears from her eyes and being comforted by her children, 14-year-old Darcey and 10-year-old Billy - and she went on to admit that she is "trying to find new ways to stay strong".
Derek was a lobbyist and political aide to former Labour cabinet minister Peter Mandelson in the Nineties.
He also presented a show on talkRADIO.
Derek has published books including Blair's 100 Days and Create Space.
Last May he announced his resignation from the Labour Party after more than 35 years of membership.
He cited leader Jeremy Corbyn, the party losing its way and called it “basically stupid” in a statement for his reason over quitting.
Kate Garraway still speaks to her husband every night on the phone even though he can't hear her, reveals Lorraine Kelly
Most Read In TV & Showbiz
The coronavirus has so far claimed the lives of over 39,904 people across the UK.
Kate and her family have been supported by their famous friends as well as fans at this difficult time, with Piers Morgan admitting last week that it "breaks his heart" to see her struggling.
She has also been praised for remaining hopeful, with Lorraine Kelly adding last week: "She calls him every night but she's not sure he can hear her. The staff put the phone to his ear.
"I'm sure on some level he does, Kate."
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS - STAY IN THE KNOW
Don't miss the latest news and figures - and essential advice for you and your family.
To receive The Sun's Coronavirus newsletter in your inbox every tea time, .
To follow us on Facebook, simply .
Get Britain's best-selling newspaper delivered to your smartphone or tablet each day - .
Topics