Derek Draper had ‘been doing well really well’ before suffering a major heart attack which has left him fighting for his life once again.
Kate Garraway‘s husband Derek, 56, has been plagued with health woes after contracting Covid in 2020 and is now said to be in critical condition after being taken dangerously ill last Monday.
Following the heartbreaking turn of events it has been reported that Derek was ‘in great spirits’ and looking forward to Christmas with his family.
A source told The Sun: ‘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 has been utterly incredible — by his side while being an amazing mum to Darcey and Billy, and trying to manage their expectations of a family Christmas.’
Good Morning Britain presenter Kate, 56, is said to be holding a 24/7 vigil by his bedside and has cancelled all work commitments while his family ‘pray for a miracle’.
Derek has been in and out of hospital after he fell seriously ill with coronavirus at the very start of the pandemic in March 2020, and was left with lasting damage to his organs.
Doctors put him in a medically induced coma and he became the longest-suffering coronavirus patient in the UK after spending 13 months in hospital, apart from Kate and their two children – Darcey, 16 and Billy, 13.
However, he has readmitted several times with numerous health issues, including kidney failure, brain inflammation and liver damage.
Kate recently revealed her family are ‘adjusting to a new normal’ as Derek battles to get better and shared a ‘promising’ update on Derek’s health, hoping it could lead to an improvement.
Speaking to OK! magazine, Kate shared: ‘Derek’s in hospital having some treatment. It’s not an emergency thing, it’s not a dramatic rush back into intensive care, thank goodness. It’s something that started last year that we hope will lead to improvement.
‘I’ve managed to get it in before the end of the year. It’s something we were trying to do in the summer, but there are referrals and time and all of those things.
‘Every day we wait and see. There isn’t a dramatic improvement but touch wood things haven’t gone backwards either. So we’re just adjusting to a new normal.’
While Kate tries to stay as positive as she can, she also feels like Derek is never ‘safe’.
Earlier this year, Kate revealed she was planning to take Derek to Mexico for a second bout of experimental treatment in a desperate bid to save him from the devastating effects of Covid.
Following a previously ‘gruelling’ trip to Mexico at the beginning of 2022, Kate shared her hopes at flying Derek back for an additional round of treatment.
Kate told The Sun: ‘The effort required to get him there is extraordinary, and obviously we are relying on the grace of these specialists to help him.
‘I can’t thank all those involved in getting him to Mexico enough because without them he wouldn’t have the chance of this potentially life-changing treatment.’
She added: ‘The plan is to go back for another round of treatment and continue the trial in a way that is financially viable.’
Although Kate insisted that they’d had ‘wonderful treatment’ from the NHS, which were essential in keeping her husband alive, the foreign trips offer ‘potentially life saving treatment’.
As well as the trip, the Smooth Radio presenter has had to spend ‘tens of thousands of pounds’ adapting the family home in London for Derek, which included the installation of ramps, a downstairs wet room and a makeshift downstairs bedroom.
Due to the severity of his illness and length of time spent in hospital he remains unable to walk and has developed debilitating symptoms.
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