Kate Garraway issues plea for help after getting 'unsettling post' for Derek Draper

Kate Garraway has made a desperate plea for help after receiving "unsettling post making demands" addressed to her late husband. The Good Morning Britain presenter, 56, reached out to Haringey Council on X (formerly Twitter) after struggling for 10 days to speak to someone about her husband Derek Draper's death.

In her public message, Kate explained how she had been on hold for almost 50 minutes trying to get through to the correct department to discuss the "unsettling post making demands" which Derek can "obviously not respond to" following his death in January, reports the Mirror.

She posted: "@haringeycouncil -please help - have been trying for ten days sold [sic] to speak to someone about my husband passing away - following unsettling post making demands which obviously he can't respond to. I just cannot get through. Again today nearly 50 mins wait and before I could...."

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Kate, who recently revealed she has debts of over £800,000 due to the financial cost of Derek's care, added: "@haringeycouncil ... the man put me straight back to the beginning - another 20 mins and then it timed out as shuts at 5pm. Is there a bereavement service or SOMETHING!!!"

Some of Kate's followers responded to the presenter online, with one saying: "Don't give up Kate just calm and keep trying to get hold of the council." Another suggested: "I agree with other posts Kate - get hold of your local councillor if you can. So sorry to hear you have this on top of everything else you and your family have endured."

Kate's beloved husband Derek passed away aged just 56 at the beginning of the year after a fierce four-year fight with long Covid. The former lobbyist first fell ill in March 2020 after contracting Covid and then struggled with health complications as a result.

Despite his critical condition demanding regular care, there was no funding received, pushing Kate further into a hard financial situation to afford his essential care.

In a recent interview Kate estimated the total care debt to be anywhere between an astonishing £500,000 and £800,000. She added: "Derek's needs were clearly so great, yet he didn't warrant funded care - so you think, 'If he isn't getting it, then who is?'

"To be fair to them, no one's contacted me since he's passed away to ask for that. They may well still do, but they haven't as yet. The bigger picture of the further appeals I haven't addressed yet, because I'm still in survival mode."

Kate shared her frustrations with The Sunday Times about the state's support system, saying: "It's supposed to be a system that's meant to catch you if you fall. But actually, it feels like it's trying to catch you out. You feel like you're in the dock answering questions about things that will literally mean life or death to someone you love."

On January 5 this year Kate posted on Instagram to announce the heartbreaking news of her husband Derek's passing: "I'm sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away. As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications," she said at the time.

In her post, she continued: "Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed. I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible.

"Sending so much love and thanks to all of you who have so generously given our family so much support. Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life."

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