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Kate Garraway ‘broken’ after Derek Draper’s death and friends have a ‘rota to care for her’ says TV star pal
Friend reveals impact death of Derek, 56, has had on GMB star
KATE Garraway feels "broken" after Derek Draper’s death and friends have a rota to care for her says TV star pal.
The 56-year-old's husband tragically passed away while holding her hand, after a four-year health struggle brought on by Covid.
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Presenter Clare Nasir, a close friend of Kate, told : "She's devastated, she's broken.
"She's going from moments of real reflectiveness to moments where she's just crying because she's been fighting for the right for Derek to live for four years now.
"It was a heck of a long journey for her and she was with him until he died. She didn't give up the fight until the very last moment.
"She's exhausted. When I was with her she'd had very little sleep. She'd been at Derek's bedside night and day while trying to care for her family.
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"What do you do, what do you say? There's no light for her at the moment. Just grief and absolute sadness."
Clare adds: "We're tag-teaming, my friends and I are on a rota to be with her. The other weekend there was a lot of making tea and cooking.
"We managed to play a couple of little games with the kids to add a little light.
"Kate waxed and waned - It's just so sad to see, she's just broken.
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"It's so hard. Nobody is prepared for this situation. You don't expect this type of trauma - It's not anything you can prepare for. So It's just basically following you're heart and really being very sensitive to the needs of Kate and the kids."
Kate and Clare worked together on GMTV.
Derek, 56, had battled for his life in the hospital after experiencing a severe heart attack.
Kate took her husband across the world to Mexico so the former psychologist could undergo pioneering treatment and she also had to adapt the family home to make it more accessible for Derek.
The Good Morning Britain presenter was also forced to take time off work so she could give Derek the care he needed.
Kate revealed earlier this month that Derek had died earlier this month. She wrote on Instagram: "I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away.
"As some of you may know he has been critically ill following a cardiac arrest in early December which, because of the damage inflicted by Covid in March 2020, led to further complications.
"Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed.
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"I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible.
"Sending so much love and thanks to all of you who have so generously given our family so much support. Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life."
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