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9 April 2021, 10:08
Kate Garraway recalls how Derek burst into tears when home
Kate Garraway’s husband Derek Draper has finally been able to join his family at home after coronavirus left him in hospital for a year.
Kate Garraway has described the emotional moment her husband Derek Draper returned home from hospital and was reunited with their children; Darcey, 14, and Billy, 11.
Derek was admitted to hospital in March 2020 with coronavirus symptoms before being placed into a coma.
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He has since been taken off the machines and breathing apparatus but needs 24-hour care at the family home, which Kate had refurbished to make it more accessible.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain about the family’s reunion with Derek, Kate said their kids were waiting at the window for their dad to arrive.
She said: “As we pulled up, I could see two little faces of Darcey and Billy looking out the window and I could see Billy literally say 'he's here!' and they sort of ran out and ran forward.
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"He immediately burst into tears, there was a lot of hugging and got him inside. He absolutely knew he was home."
In documentary Finding Derek in March, Kate opened up about her husband’s ordeal and how his turbulent journey has had an effect on the whole family.
Derek has now been moved home in the hope he’ll continue making a recovery.
She said on Friday on ITV: "It's been about looking at his cognition and looking at his consciousness, and trying to think about what would be the best way to improve that.
"There have been improvements [...] but it felt as though everything had stalled medically and if anything was going slightly back.
"It does feel a little bit like the hospital has come home with me at the moment, as we’ve got all sorts of professional people making sure everything is safe and then see how being in the family environment could help.”
Derek now has a “new team” of medical experts taking care of him at home.
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