Kate Garraway lost her husband and father of her children, Derek Draper, last month after he bravely battled the effects of Covid for almost four years.
Derek – who was laid to rest today (February 2) – is survived by Kate and their two children, Darcey and Billy.
Kate Garraway and Derek Draper’s kids
Kate and Derek are parents to two children – Darcey, 17, and Billy, 14.
Darcey was born on March 10, 2006, at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London. Kate was secretly three months pregnant with Darcey during her wedding to Derek in September 2005. Billy, meanwhile, was born on July 28, 2009.
Both Billy and Darcey have appeared on TV before. They’ve appeared on GMB a couple of times in recent years – notably when Kate was on I’m A Celebrity. They spoke about her jungle journey.
What have Kate Garraway and Derek Draper’s kids said about their dad’s illness?
Darcey and Billy featured in Kate’s documentary, Caring For Derek, which aired on ITV back in 2022.
The documentary followed Derek as he returned home, following a year in the hospital.
Speaking in the documentary, Darcey said: “I’ve not really thought the worst.” She also revealed that she believed that her father would “get better”.
“I’ve always thought he will get better and get back,” she said. “It’s not really scary in the way he looks scary, it’s just scary in the way we might lose him,” she then added.
Billy speaks out
The couple’s son, Billy, also spoke about his dad’s illness in the documentary. “I really want him back, but I don’t know if he will get better or not,” he said.
The documentary also showed a heartwarming moment between Derek and Billy, when Derek hugged Billy. It was one of the first times he’d been able to move on his own since being in hospital.
Kate previously praised her children, back in 2021. “He’s been out of their life for a year… they are brilliant with him, they seem to instinctively know what he needs,” she said at the time.
“Billy will go over and ask if he can hold his hand and is then aware that it might be too much,” she said.
Darcey returned the favour in 2022, saying some kind words about her parents at the NTA’s. “People were asking saying, ‘Are you proud of your mum?’ Yes – and my dad! Every single time!'” she said.
Derek’s last request for his kids
Following his death, a request made by Derek to his children before he was put into a medically-induced coma in 2020 has resurfaced.
While Derek was waiting for an ambulance before being taken to hospital in March 2020, he asked his two children to “look after” Kate.
The GMB presenter has previously revealed: “He told them: ‘You’re the best children anybody could ever have asked for. Look after Mum, be good for her.'”
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