It has been two years since Kate Garraway and her husband Derek Draper’s lives were changed forever when he contracted Covid-19 and became one of the UK’s worst affected patients.
The couple have been married for 17 years and together they share two children; 16-year-old daughter Darcey and 12-year-old son William.
After being hospitalised in March 2020, 54-year-old former political lobbyist Derek is still recovering from the affects of Covid-19 and requires 24 hour care while Kate, also 54, has been left as the sole breadwinner for the family.
As Derek continues to make small improvements and the family’s lives adapt around his requirements, here is a timeline of events - from the moment Derek was hospitalised to now.
Derek’s hospitalisation
Good Morning Britain viewers were left shocked in on 3 April 2020 when show host Kate revealed that her beloved husband, Derek, had been hospitalised the previous month on March 30.
She explained that Derek hadn’t suffered from the usual symptoms of Covid – a loss of taste, smell, cold-like symptoms and a fever – but instead complained of numbness in his hand while also experiencing headaches and breathlessness.
Kate turned to ITV ’s Dr Hilary Jones for advice who urged her to immediately phone for an ambulance as Derek was struggling to hold his breath for longer than ten seconds.
Derek was then rushed to intensive care where he was placed in an induced coma – and he would continue to be treated in hospital for over a year.
Derek awakens from coma
After being placed in a medically induced coma, Derek remained unconscious for 13 weeks before finally waking up in July 2020.
Kate had been determined never to give up on her husband, giving updates on Good Morning Britain while receiving sympathy from viewers across the UK.
Returning to screens after a time away from the ITV morning news show, Kate revealed Derek had finally woken from his coma – but she had been warned by medics that his recovery was far from over.
She told Hello! at the time: "I really believe he can hear. When medical staff say, 'Good morning, Derek,' he sometimes opens his eyes. We and the doctors are doing everything we can so that he can start to recover."
But she added that doctors warned her that Derek could be in a "minimum state of consciousness" for years.
Derek continued to remain in hospital for many more months, with the family experiencing their first Christmas without him.
Kate said that December: "I'm lucky that Derek is still with us, and that we still have hope for next year, but it is quite hard to know how to really plan because we had very specific traditions that we would always go to Derek's family on Christmas Eve, we would go to church, we would be with his family on Christmas Day and then come back to my family and I don't think any of that will be possible because we need to stay close to Derek and the hospital."
Derek is released home
After more than one year, Derek was finally released from hospital on 8 April 2021, much to Kate and their children’s joy.
His recovery was only just beginning, however, and as Kate’s award winning documentary, Finding Derek, proved, there was a lot of help needed to keep Derek comfortable and healthy.
Footage showed that Derek would quickly get tired – and Kate had revealed that he would require up to 20 hours of sleep per day.
During an appearance on This Morning, Phillip Schofield asked Kate “how much of Derek” she thinks she will “get back”, and she replied: “It’s very hard to know really, we’re having to have a new relationship with him.
“What is there, he is still him, he remembers lots of little details, he reacts to things the kids do in the way he would have before. He’s smiling and laughing at things, and he definitely adores and loves us all."
Kate and a team of healthcare professionals have been giving Derek 24 hour care and support ever since as the former businessman continues his recovery journey.
Family days out
By the end of 2021, there were signs that Derek’s recovery was progressing well as he reached a huge milestone of being able to enjoy a day out with his family.
He joined Kate and their children for a trip to the theatre to watch a production of Cinderella at Richmond theatre with heartwarming photos showing the family smiling together.
Derek gave a smile to the nearby photographers – a year after Kate had feared she may never see her husband out and about again.
Kate was quoted by the Daily Mail saying after the theatre trip: “Last Christmas Eve, we did have a lot of promise and a lot of hope but Derek was in hospital.
“We had no idea whether he was going to live or die, praying that it was going in the right direction.”
Continued support and continued recovery
As the two year anniversary of Derek’s hospitalisation approaches, Kate has continued to share their recovery journey with fans.
Fans have been shown footage and photographs of Derek enjoying the family garden which Kate worked to have transformed into a tranquil haven for her husband to relax in.
Speaking about how tough it is for her and the family with Derek's condition, she explained on the Love Your Garden TV show: "The garden needs to be more than a space to go into. I really want to grow some plants to improve our health and wellbeing."
As she began work on her garden, Kate admitted she was excited about the prospect.
"I love the idea that there's plants that look good, smell good and do good. I hope it works," she said, as she started work on her garden, which will feature three different plant beds - one for plants that can be used to make tea, another with medicinal plants, including those with antioxidants and perennials, as well as a separate aromatherapy bed.
Viewers saw Derek being brought into the garden in his wheelchair and looking impressed by the work.
He continues to receive treatment and support as his recovery continues.
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