Condolences Pour in for Derek Draper, Husband of Kate Garraway, as He Succumbs to Long Covid at 56
Tributes are flowing in for Derek Draper, the former political lobbyist turned psychotherapist and husband to TV presenter Kate Garraway, who has tragically passed away at the age of 56. Draper had been battling severe complications from long Covid since contracting the virus in 2020. Kate Garraway shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram, revealing that Derek had been critically ill since a cardiac arrest in December, further exacerbated by the lingering effects of Covid from March 2020.
Expressing her grief, Garraway stated, “I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away.” She thanked the medical teams for their relentless efforts to save him and the supporters who stood by her family. She plans to take a break from her TV and radio roles but intends to return in the future.
Derek Draper, a prominent figure in New Labour during the 1990s, co-founded the Progress organization. After his involvement in the “cash for access” scandal, he retrained as a psychotherapist in the US. Tributes from political figures, including former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, acknowledge Draper’s multifaceted personality and his significant role in the New Labour movement.
Draper first fell seriously ill with Covid-19 in March 2020, spending 13 months in the hospital. His battle with the virus left him one of the most severely affected patients. Despite being declared “Covid-free” by June 2020, the virus had caused extensive damage to his body, and recovery was uncertain. Draper endured ventilator support and an induced coma during his hospitalization. After over a year, he returned home with round-the-clock care.
In 2021, Kate Garraway won a National Television Award for the documentary “Finding Derek,” shedding light on her family’s experience during the pandemic. The news of Derek Draper’s death underscores the lingering challenges posed by long Covid, a condition still not fully understood and affecting an estimated 2 million people in the UK with various debilitating symptoms.
As condolences pour in, the memory of Derek Draper lives on, leaving behind a legacy of resilience in the face of a relentless health battle.
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