KATE'S SUPPORT CIRCLE
Susanna Reid, Elton John & Piers Morgan among celebs paying tribute to Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper at funeral
Kate has revealed how she is supporting her family after Derek's tragic death
SUSANNA Reid, Elton John and Piers Morgan were among the celebrities who paid tribute to Kate Garraway's husband Derek Draper today.
Distraught Kate arrived at Derek's funeral in north-west London with her two children, Darcey and Billy, four weeks after he died aged 56 following a near four-year Covid battle.
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Daughter Darcey, 17, put on a brave front as she helped to carry her dad's coffin into the church where Kate and Derek married nearly 20 years ago.
Good Morning Britain stars Charlotte Hawkins, Ben Shephard, Richard Madeley, Alex Beresford, Rob Rinder, Ranvir Singh, Sean Fletcher and Richard Arnold attended the Church of St Mary The Virgin in Primrose Hill.
Reid and Shephard, who work alongside Garraway as a presenter on GMB, wore black as they turned up.
TV presenter Fiona Phillips and This Morning editor Martin Frizell, who both worked on the former ITV morning programme GMTV, and former GMB star Morgan were also spotted.
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Meanwhile music icon Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish showed their support on Friday.
The musician had previously invited Draper and Garraway to be his guests of honour at his Farewell Yellow Brick Road concert at London's O2 Arena last year.
Also arriving for the service were former Labour MPs Ed Balls, Lord Peter Mandelson and Tristram Hunt.
Shadow climate change secretary Ed Miliband, former prime minister Sir Tony Blair and his wife Cherie Blair and former Number 10 director of communications Alastair Campbell could also be seen.
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Draper was a former researcher of Lord Mandelson and was a key figure in the early years of New Labour in the 1990s.
Draper set up the Progress organisation with Liam Byrne, who went on to become a Labour MP, and was also an author.
He wrote the book Blair's Hundred Days which chronicled some of Sir Tony's first year as prime minister, along with Life Support: A Survival Guide For The Modern Soul.
Journalist Robert Peston, talent manager Jonathan Shalit, radio presenter Roman Kemp, former Sky News political editor Adam Boulton and former political editor of GMTV and ex-Labour MP Gloria De Piero also headed into the church.
Myleene Klass, who has previously stepped in to host Garraway's Smooth Radio show, was among the mourners.
Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life.
Kate Garraway
TV star Kate recently put on a brave face as she was pictured for the first time since Derek's death.
The GMB host, 56, managed a smile as she got a hug from a friend.
A source said Kate has been "stoically trying to hold things together" for the sake of her and Derek's two children.
They added: "She has been an absolute rock.
"Funeral arrangements are time-consuming and painful but the day will be a joyous celebration of a wonderful man."
The presenter's husband tragically passed away while holding her hand after a four-year health struggle brought on by Covid.
Kate had adapted the family's home so it could be more accessible and easier for Derek to get around - spending countless hours by her husband's side supporting him.
But tragically Derek was taken to hospital at the end of last year when he had a cardiac arrest.
Strong Kate Garraway then made a desperate 12-hour flight to the UK with her husband in a bid to save his life.
Despite her best efforts and support Kate revealed the heartbreaking news of Derek's death on Instagram.
In an emotional statement, she said: "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.
"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.
We are taking time to heal ourselves, now that Darcey and Billy know their Daddy is at peace and free from pain and struggle.
Kate Garraway
"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."
Just days after his death, Kate shared a touching tribute to Derek on GMB.
In the statement, Kate said: "Hello everyone. Thank you all so much for all the wonderful messages you have sent me.
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"It really does mean so much to me, Darcey, Billy, and all of Derek's family."
And she added: "We are taking time to heal ourselves, now that Darcey and Billy know their Daddy is at peace and free from pain and struggle."
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Derek Draper's four-year health battle
- March 30, 2020: Derek is rushed unresponsive to hospital with Covid.
- April 24: He is put into an induced coma.
- June 5: Kate reveals Derek is Covid-free but his body suffered damage.
- July 5: He awakens from a deep coma but remains "minimally conscious".
- September 6: Kate then reveals Derek lost eight stone and cannot speak.
- September 29: Derek becomes the longest-suffering Covid patient after spending 184 days in hospital.
- October 30: Wakes from coma and speaks for the first time in seven months.
- October 31: He is finally taken off ventilator after 214 days in hospital.
- January 7, 2021: Kate reveals kids got to visit Derek at Christmas - the first time since he was hospitalised.
- April 9: Derek returns home after over a year but needs full-time care.
- May 4: He is able to converse more.
- December 22: Pictured in public for the first time at a panto.
- February 21, 2022: Kate says they secretly flew to Mexico for a medical trial.
- July 6: Derek is rushed back to hospital.
- August 1: He is in intensive care with "life-threatening" sepsis.
- June 28, 2023: He sees wife Kate made MBE.
- October 8: Kate reveals Derek is "not doing great" after an infection.
- November 23: In hospital for treatment to help with movement.
- December 11: Taken ill and suffers heart attack.
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