Kate Garraway emotionally reveals plans for 1st Christmas without husband Derek Draper
Kate Garraway opened up on her first Christmas without her husband Derek Draper. The broadcaster lost her husband in January when he passed away aged 56 after a devastating three year battle with Covid-19. He left behind Kate and their two children; Darcey, 18, and 15-year-old Billy. Speaking on GMB on Christmas Eve, she said: "It is our first Christmas without him. I have been talking to Andi Peters who lost his mum and he warned me that Christmas is the hardest time. I think this one will be particularly hard. We're lucky that I've got family around me. My brother, and distracting. But I think you do feel grief because that is the point where you have the memories of previous years.
She continued: "We were lucky enough to still have him over the last 4, 5 years, even though there were times he was very ill. He was in intensive care this time last year but we were going to him in intensive care. Inside my head, I did fear that this was a grim one but the children didn’t, they were still very hopeful and of course he had many times. It’s a tough one this year and I think anybody experiencing grief, it does hit you when you feel something which is something full of tradition and memories, it comes back. I am thinking about everyone else who is feeling it."
Speaking about her New Year’s plans too, after co-host Ranvir Singh opened up about her own experience of losing her father, Kate said: "I’m not planning anything for New Year, I think it will just be a moment of thought. I think we will all go to the grave and have a little bit of time and then welcome the New Year."
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Derek was diagnosed with COVID in March 2020 and spent 13 months in hospital after suffering multiple organ failure. While it's a tough time for the family, Kate is resolved to create new memories with their children during their first Christmas without him.
Speaking to Woman and Home magazine, she shared: "This Christmas will be difficult, as all the firsts are, but I’ve said to the kids, ‘Let’s do what feels right, do some new things and make new memories.’ Maybe we’ll go to midnight mass on Christmas Eve? You’ve got to try and let things evolve into new memories, and I’m going to be led by them."
