Yahoo Finance Kate Garraway 'Finding Derek' documentary leaves viewers in tears
Viewers were left in tears by Kate Garraway's heart-breaking film about her husband Derek's devastating fight with long Covid.
The Good Morning Britain presenter and Smooth radio DJ revealed the inside story of her family's struggles over the last year since Derek Draper contracted the virus, and has remained hospitalised to this day, in ITV documentary film Kate Garraway: Finding Derek.
Presenter Garraway allowed cameras in to their home to film the detail of their upended life to give the public an idea of how terrible the disease can be and how great the impact on families.
Watch: Kate Garraway's heartbreaking during husband's COVID-19 battle
Read more: Kate Garraway - Derek would want his story to be told.
And audiences were left in tears as she opened up about her fears of ever having him back home again, while celebrity pals like Lorraine Kelly and Ben Shepherd all tweeted their support, describing her as inspirational, and paid tribute to her courage and spirit.
So proud of my friend @kategarraway she continues to surprise, delight, occasionally infuriate but always inspire me. Thinking of Kate, her family and anyone who is battling Covid or has lost someone close to them to the virus. #FindingDerek pic.twitter.com/S8B0ajO9jU
— Ben Shephard (@benshephard) March 23, 2021
Heartbreaking but such courage, humanity and strength @kategarraway - you are incredible! ❤️ #FindingDerek
— Lorraine (@reallorraine) March 23, 2021
He had been admitted to hospital on March 30 last year, and has been struggling ever since, being described as the sickest patient that had lived, suffering from liver and kidney failure, heart problems, while he has been on a ventilator and in an induced coma, with little idea of when he will ever get out of hospital.
But viewers connected most with the small human moments of her struggle — like joking about injuring her feet on bits of Lego left lying around by her children, and wanting to get picture frames fixed, crying out, 'I miss you Derek.'
She's then seen packing away his beloved subscribed editions of the Financial Times for him to read if and when he gets better, before beginning a renovation of the house to accommodate a hospital bed for the day he eventually gets home.
#FindingDerek This is so difficult to watch, I can’t say I’m enjoying it. I can’t begin to imagine how #KateGarraway has coped during this last year.She is telling us about Derek with such dignity, it’s so moving. Let’s hope and pray that over a period of time Derek will recover.
— 🌻Shirley🌻 (@CurlyShirley02) March 23, 2021
Nothing but respect for @KateGarraway, Derek, Darcey and Billy after her documentary on @ITV. Heartbreaking but such courage, humanity and strength. Just an incredible working Mum doing the best for her family. 💔 #KateGarraway #FindingDerek pic.twitter.com/5fbsF0bbw5
— Jack Sullivan (@TheJackSullivan) March 23, 2021
Garraway has been working as she can to make sure kids Darcey, 14 and Bill, 11, can cope with the trauma and upheaval, and they are both pragmatic and chillingly honest about how their dad is.
Read more: Call to protect NHS staff as report highlights 'enormous toll' of pandemic.
But with none of them aware of what the future holds, the struggle to hold on is a daily battle. To arm herself with research and knowledge, Garraway spoke to other sufferers including a nurse who, in her early days of diagnosis, had temporarily lost the ability to talk, and her short term memory has been so badly affected to the point where she can't cook in case she burns the house down.
She also met with other relatives of covid patients, and various experts as she tried to get an idea of what the future might hold and what their life may be like, depending on any cognitive and physical impairments going forward.
During physio rehab, Derek was filmed uttering the first word he has uttered in hospital, simply mouthing 'pain' to staff — a heartbreaking message but a vital sign of progress that he could even communicate.
As his speech began to return, he later shared via FaceTime his hopelessness at being stuck in his body and sounding like he wanted to die, while she promised to save him.
This is absolutely heartbreaking. We moan and struggle being stuck in our houses. Imagine being trapped in your own body in hospital only able to say the word ‘pain’. Truly devastating. Keep fighting Derek and stay strong @kategarraway #FindingDerek
— Sophie Barley (@SophieBarley) March 23, 2021
But as the documentary footage caught up with his current condition, Kate - and the watching audience - were blown away when Derek spoke to her from his bed and told her he loved her 'forever and a day.' While she confessed that she still didn't know what tomorrow looked like, but insisted: "There is a tomorrow."
WATCH: Kate Garraway denies she is quitting TV to become a carer for husband Derek.
