'YOUR SONG'
Kate Garraway makes touching tribute to Derek Draper during radio show return as she plays special song
The radio star revealed the heartbreaking meaning behind the song
KATE Garraway has made a touching tribute to Derek Draper during her radio show return.
The TV and radio presenter played a special song in the memory of her late husband during her first show back on Smooth Radio.
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Kate Garraway's husband tragically died on January 5 following a four-year battle with Covid.
He was hospitalised after contracting Covid in March 2020 and suffering numerous health complications.
Upon returning to Smooth Radio, Garraway paid an emotional tribute to her beloved husband by remembering the song played at his funeral.
She played 'Your Song' by music icon Sir Elton John - who led a heartwarming performance on the day.
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Before playing the song, Kate thanked listeners for their "lovely and poignant messages".
In a heartfelt message, she said: "I just feel really honoured that you’ve shared your thoughts with me and I’m going to do my best to keep the music flowing.
"Now you may know that Elton John sang at my husband Derek’s funeral and it was a very special moment born out of him just being a lovely man and I just wanted to play him for you this morning."
The singer attended Draper's funeral alongside other celebrities - including his husband David Furnish.
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Susanna Reid and Piers Morgan were also among the celebrities who paid tribute the late Derek.
Derek Draper funeral: Susanna Reid & Ben Shephard arrive to support Kate Garraway as she lays ‘darling’ husband to rest
Kate previously revealed the reason Elton John felt deeply connected to her loss.
During a previous interview for Smooth Radio, she said: "He, I think, has felt from the very earliest days, very, very connected because Derek was ill. He had a friend who was ill.
"And through that kind of six degrees of separation, they were in intensive care at the same time. One in America, one here in the UK, Derek.
"And so in that time, when there was sort of a search for knowledge, he ended up offering to get in touch via other things. And so it’s been connected.
"And he felt, therefore, it was lovely that he was there and it was lovely that he sang and it was a lovely gift, really, actually."
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.
Derek's four-year health struggles
- March 30, 2020: Derek is rushed unresponsive to hospital with Covid.
- April 24: He is put into an induced coma.
- June 5: Kat 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 trail.
- 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.
Kate, 56, revealed she held Derek's hand as he passed away in a moving Instagram post.
She wrote, “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.”
Following his passing, tributes from the political and media world flooded in - including from former Prime Minister Tony Blair.
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ITV broadcaster Kate Garraway spent the last three years of her life caring for her husband's every need as he battled the crippling effects of Covid-19.
Derek's illness impacted the family emotionally and financially – with Kate hit by a £716,000 tax bill when she was forced to close his psychotherapy business.
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