Presenter Kate Garraway has opened up about the “weeks of planning” needed to help her get husband Derek Draper to his first gig in years.
Derek made a rare public appearance to see Elton John in concert at London’s O2 Arena recently.
Now Kate, 55, has revealed that Derek’s emotional reaction to their special night out was worth all the hard work. Chatting to Smooth FM, the presenter said: “Right up to the last minute, I wasn’t sure if it would be possible to get Derek there. It took weeks of planning and just days before, it looked like he would be too sick to attend. Even on the journey there he seemed so weak.”
Kate Garraway husband
Thankfully, Derek’s health took a dramatic upturn as soon as he got to the venue and the couple, along with their two children, were able to watch Elton perform.
Kate added: “As soon as we got into the stadium and Elton went on stage, he started weeping tears of joy and squeezed my hand so tightly.”
It was an emotional moment for all involved, as Kate once revealed that she used to play Elton John songs to her husband while he was in hospital. Derek spent thirteen months in hospital after contracting coronavirus in 2020 and is thought to be the UK’s worst affected Covid-19 survivor.
Elton John offers his support
Elton himself heard that Kate had relied on his songs to cheer up her ailing husband, and even got in touch to offer his support. During his concert, the superstar singer even dedicated one of his songs to Derek and Kate.
Kate admitted that Derek started shaking at one point during the gig. She added: “I asked him if it was time to go and he said: ‘No… want to go back.'”
Head over to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix to share your thoughts.