Kate Garraway fought back the tears this morning as she recalled the ‘breakthrough’ moment her husband Derek Draper spoke his first word since emerging from coma.
The Good Morning Britain presenter revealed Draper appeared to mouth the word ‘pain’ when asked by nurses if he was in any discomfort.
While Garraway said it was ‘heartbreaking’ he was suffering, it marked progress in his recovery since being struck down with coronavirus in March.
But the 53-year-old is ‘keeping herself in check’ and said: ‘The power of hope is huge but you’re constantly trying to think, at what point do I have to start being real.’
Kate Garraway fought back the tears this morning as she recalled the ‘breakthrough’ moment her husband Derek Draper spoke his first word since emerging from coma (Kate and Derek pictured in December)
Speaking on Good Morning Britain from west London, she said: ‘Way back in April when we chatted for the first time and I said “look he seems to have survives so far, so I know I already have my miracle”.
‘But now I’m praying for the second miracle and that is for him to come back to us. It’s very difficult because this could be it. I’m very much trying to keep myself in check, not start crying, because we still don’t know.’
Garraway explained that throughout 53-year-old Draper’s hospitalisation, doctors and nurses have continued treating him as if conscious, telling him when they were about to move him and asking if he were in any pain.
She recalled: ‘And they did this, and he very clearly mouthed the word “pain”. Everybody that was there stopped and couldn’t believe it.’
While Garraway said it was ‘heartbreaking’ he was suffering, it marked progress in his recovery since being struck down with coronavirus in March
The TV presenter added: ‘It is a huge breakthrough, obviously it’s heartbreaking because he feels pain and that’s not what we want….
‘What it means is that he’s been able to connect a sensation in his body, with his mouth through his brain to say the word “pain”.
But she said: ‘I’ve spoken to you both before about is he still in there, is he locked away. I believe he is still in there. That’s a long way from being Derek with all his multiple words of colour with all the love, but it’s a start.
‘The power of hope is huge but you’re constantly trying to think, at what point do I have to start being real
The Good Morning Britain presenter revealed Draper appeared to mouth the word ‘pain’ when asked by nurses if he was in any discomfort
She said there was ‘still a long road to go and we still don’t know how far down that road he can come’.
Garraway said: ‘I was getting scared because I was thinking if it’s hard for him, how hard must it be for him stuck in there.’
In August, Kate revealed she is writing a self-help book as she continues to support Derek. She admitted that she was given the deal before Derek’s illness and is now tweaking the book to include ‘insights’ from the ordeal.
Speaking to GMB, she said: ‘Way back in April when we chatted for the first time and I said “look he seems to have survives so far, so I know I already have my miracle”
She plans to call the book Good Morning Life: How To Wake Up Every Day And Smile.
Shortly after Kate’s appearance, her co-star on the show, Piers Morgan revealed both his parents contracted coronavirus.
The star spoke about how his mum and step-dad, Gabrielle and Glynne Pughe-Morgan, have fought the disease over a ‘scary fortnight’.
He did however confirm that they had come out the other side and are in recovery, with his step-father complaining about loss of taste and smell.
Hard times: Shortly after Kate’s appearance, her co-star on the show, Piers Morgan revealed both his parents contracted coronavirus (Piers and his parents, pictured in 2012)
Kate and her co-host Alex Beresford discussed self-help books after Adele praised Glennon Doyle’s Untamed: Stop Pleasing, Start Living for ‘changing her life’.
During the chat, she said: ‘I am going to declare that just before Derek got sick I started writing a book, I got a publishing deal, based on well-being and all the things I’ve learned.
‘It was going to be called Good Morning Life: How To Wake Up Every Day And Smile, it’s still going ahead, I’m still writing it, but I’m going to include obviously different insight that has happened to me along the way.’
She added: ‘I find that there are books that are very helpful.’