Derek Draper: Husband of Kate Garraway and former political adviser dies

The former labor advisor and husband of Television presenter Kate gay Derek Draper has died at the age of 56 he’ suffered long-standing Health complications after Contracting Corona virus in March 2020 his wife Kate gay made a documentary on caring for him in his final years she described the

Heartbreak of seeing him wake up unable to function by himself it’s very gritty caring for someone but it’s nowhere near as hard as being Derek waking up every morning and I see it in his eyes there’s a period where he’s kind of Forgotten and then he has to inhabit that body and

In be trapped in his mind and his state that he’s in and that is just devastating it’s like watching heartbreak the sky Rachel venables joins me now um very sad news he sha a spotlight on the plight suffered by those with long covid and he battled a

Long time Rachel he really did this is very sad news of course for Derek Draper for Kate G his wife there two children and his whole family and everyone of course who knew him because he had a a long career long before he came to public prominence really for his

Relationship with Kate gay and then of course with her documenting in the latter years of his life this desperate battle that he suffered with Corona virus Derek Draper really first came to prominence for his work with new labor back in the 1990s he was a lobbyist a political adviser described really by

Many who knew him as a larger than life character he worked for many years for Peter mandon he also set up the progress organization with Liam burn who went on to become an MP really a man who was very prominent in politics in that period in this country he later then

Traveled to the United States where he retrained as a psych a therapist but as we’ve mentioned already he was known by many people more recently and I think perhaps more widely for that very public battle with the horrendous after effects of covid documented as we saw just then

By his wife the TV presenter Kate gay who suffered alongside him for so many years watching him as he really struggled with the after effects of that awful disease and she’s posted on Instagram this heartbreaking announcement today saying I am sad to have to tell you that my darling husband

Derek has passed away she says 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 she went on to say 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 and tragic of course new news for Kate and as I mentioned already the couple’s two children two teenage children Darcy and William and as we mentioned already

Derek Draper thought to be one of the country’s longest suffering covid patients he contracted the disease really right at the start of the pandemic back in March 2020 and he ended up spending 13 long months in hospital for much of that first year he was put

In an induced coma by the doctors and it was clear that even after he was awake again even after he was able to go home it had really ravaged his body and left him with long ing organ damage across his body and and you saw there in that

Clip with Kate gay speaking about the long-standing implications that that had left him in and she made two documentaries really detailing her life as he battled with those effects in which she also shared and trying to Spotlight really on the struggles of caring for somebody who you love who is

Is so poorly and sadly now at the end of all of that she has announced that her husband Derek Draper the former lobbyist and political adviser has lost his life wife has died at the age of 56 okay Rachel very sad news indeed and as you would expect reaction coming in

Uh and tributes to him uh deeply involved in uh advising the labor party alista Campbell of course prominent new labor figure as well described Derek Draper as a huge character he has tweeted very sad to hear the news about Derek Draper he was a huge character a

Giver not a Aker and had so much more to give before Co took its toll sad above all for Kate Garay and the children their love and support was profound and unshakable to the end uh similarly the shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds also paid tribute so sad to

Hear the news this morning when I was a student at Manchester Derek was still talked about around the University of Manchester when I met him I always found him thoughtful and kind quite different to to his Public Image at the time prayers for him and his family and uh

Also uh from the television world as you might expect given his wife Kate gay the broadcaster Carol veman has posted as well Kate garow has just announced that her husband Derek has died sending my thoughts and love to Kate and their family heartbreaking after the last

Years they have lost the man they love so much and Lorraine Kelly as well I should say among those who have sent messages of support to Kate gay um after her announcement on in Instagram she writes so sorry Kate you fought so hard just incredibly sad sending you love

Radio host Siri ball also says she is heartbroken so much love coming your way from so many May Derek star always shine brightest for you

Derek Draper, a former political adviser and husband of TV presenter Kate Garraway, has died after several years of serious health complications due to coronavirus.

The 56-year-old was said to be one of the UK’s longest-suffering COVID patients, spending 13 months in hospital after contracting the virus in March 2020.

Read more: https://news.sky.com/topic/covid-19-8518

#covid19 #derekdraper #labour

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35 comments

  8. My heart and soul are with all the Palestinians who have lost their loved ones and their families. Kate Garroway lost tha nation's respect, for many of us, when she asked a Palestinian guest who had just lost his family in the Genocide of Gaza – whether he condemned Hamas. What a heartless witch!

  16. Am I missing something ? Condolences where they are due but, it’s beginning to sound like Derek was the only victim of Covid-19. Have we forgotten all overseas Consultants and Doctors who died on the NHS frontline in their relentless battle to save the British public or do they not matter ? Thousands died including this poor man but all this attention is uncalled for and disproportionate…

  19. Very sad but Derek was not the only person to succumb

    Having seen pictures of him prior to the 🌍 having ever heard of Covid he looked most unhealthy and very overweight

    We know that having the jabs did not stop the spread

    🇬🇧🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🙏

  25. How people forget what a joke..

    Lobbygate

    In 1998, while still working as a director at GPC Market Access, Draper was caught on tape, with Jonathan Mendelsohn, boasting to Greg Palast (an undercover reporter from The Observer posing as a businessman) about how they could sell access to government ministers and create tax breaks for their clients.[5] When the press got hold of the story, they dubbed it "Lobbygate".[6] On the recording, Draper said that "there are 17 people who count in this government … [to] say I am intimate with every one of them is the understatement of the century." Palast also wrote that Draper said, regarding his motivation: "I just want to stuff my bank account at 250 pounds an hour". According to Palast, "Draper was nothing more than a messenger boy, a factotum, a purveyor, a self-loving, over-scented clerk". Although he denied the allegations and accused The Observer of attempting to entrap him, he was widely ridiculed in the aftermath.[7] Palast later stated that the subsequent media coverage got his original story wrong, and that it was not primarily about boastful lobbyists: "the real story was about Tony Blair and his inner circle".[citation needed]
    Following his involvement in the "Lobbygate" scandal, Draper was sacked from his job at the Daily Express and generally shunned by Labour insiders. His friend Peter Mandelson said that Draper "has a fine intelligence, but sometimes I am afraid he misuses that intelligence. He gets above himself. But now he has been cut down to size and I think probably he will learn a very hard lesson from what has happened."[8]

  32. I've always so loved our Kate Garraway. So warm, engaging & genuine. Watching the documentary "Caring For Derek", illuminating the way their lives had changed, following Derek Draper's contracting Covid, the ensuing battle to save his life & the further battle to get him home, I thought it was very brave. It was also typical, of her burning desire to report on very important issues. Nothing more important to report on, than her own experiences. Discovering today, that her wonderful fun-loving family man husband lost his life last week, I've shed a few tears. They must all be in bits. Their last Christmas he was in hospital again. The cruelties that this life can mete out, can be balanced by the love & special moments. I hope that their happy memories can sustain them, at this incredibly difficult time.

  33. Draper worked at the Tavistock Institute and had a history of drug and alcohol problems over the years, he was a perfect subject to use to promote the Convid narrative !
    Garraway is an actress,she is aware of the illusion,don’t be fooled!
    Draper’s death nonetheless is still a sad loss!

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