Yahoo News Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper in a ‘battle for his life’ after heart attack
Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper is in a “battle for his life” after suffering from a heart attack.
The Good Morning Britain presenter has cancelled all her television and radio work to keep a 24-hour watch on him as her husband is reportedly in a critical condition in hospital.
Mr Draper, 56, spent a year in hospital after he contracted Covid in 2020 and was put into a medically induced coma and on a ventilator, and has since been cared for by Garraway in their north London home.
A source told The Sun that the family had been informed of his deteriorating health and that it had come as a “shock” when he was taken ill last Monday.
“It was sudden and a shock as he had been doing so well and was in great spirits, looking forward to Christmas at home with the family.
“This setback has been a huge blow for his family and all the people caring for him.
“Kate is by his side 24 hours a day and is willing him on to win this latest battle for his life.
“Derek has fought so many times, and always, against all odds, come out the other side.”
Garraway, 56, had revealed in October that Mr Draper was “not doing great” after suffering from an infection.
A month earlier, Garraway told The Sunday Times that though she felt “very lucky to have him alive”, she was “also grieving”.
She told the newspaper about the experience of being a carer, saying: “Caring isn’t just emotionally draining but physically exhausting, and I’m aware of the toll it can take on me, just like millions of other carers.”
Mr Draper accompanied the ITV presenter when she was made MBE by the Prince of Wales in June, with Garroway describing on social media “Derek’s determination to be there”.
Earlier this year, she described caring for her husband, a former political adviser, as “challenging” as “he’s still very, very damaged”, on Giovanna Fletcher’s Journey to Magic podcast.
“He still can’t really move, still can’t really speak, still fed through tubes, and so there’s a long road ahead.
“But if you compare to last Christmas, or the Christmas before, when he was still in hospital then you can see improvement. It’s just, you just want it to be quicker and faster, of course, like everybody would.”
