SUSANNA Reid called Kate Garraway a “miracle worker” as she returned to Good Morning Britain for the first time since Finding Derek aired on Tuesday night.
Kate’s documentary, which told the heartbreaking story of her husband Derek’s battle with Covid and life-threatening complications, moved the nation to tears.
Read our Kate Garraway and Derek Draper live blog for news and updates ahead of Finding Derek on ITV tonight…
Today Susanna was full of praise for her friend and co-star, telling her: “You’re a miracle worker, and you keep smiling.”
Brave Kate admitted she’d been blown away by the outpouring of support following the programme.
She said: “Overwhelming in a wonderful way. The reaction has been extraordinary. I’ve had so many message from people…
“Thank you genuinely so much for the reaction.”
However, Kate acknowledged normality is still a long way off for her and her family, saying: “The situation doesn’t change. The battle for Derek goes on.”
In the documentary the doctor told Kate Derek’s rehabilitation is “continuing and that “doctors have extended the option of keeping him in hospital until December 2021”.
This was followed by an emotional ending between Kate and Derek, with him saying: “Thank you, I love you forever and a day.”
An emotional Kate replied: “Oh darling, I love you.”
Viewers praised the heartbreaking documentary, which saw Derek in floods of tears as Kate video calls her husband every day from his hospital bed.
Recording the moment he woke from his induced coma, Kate said: “He’s back. We’ve been waiting a long time to speak to you. I’m so proud of you. I’m so proud of you.”
But the hour-long show on ITV revealed the harrowing moment Derek told her “I can’t go on” in a distressing call.
Derek has almost spent a year in intensive care after coronavirus ravaged his body, causing his liver, kidneys and heart to fail.
His first word out of his coma was “pain” – and his suffering has left him contemplating death.
In the harrowing moment, he said: “There’s no way out, there’s no way out.”
Kate, who was at home with their two children, replied calmly: “What do you mean there’s no way out? In terms of what?”
Derek said: “I’ve got to the point where I just think, f*** it. F*** it.”
Kate asked: “As in die?” and when Derek said yes, she replied: “No….no.”
Derek grew more distressed and tearful and sobbed to his wife: “I don’t know how to cope, I don’t know how to cope.”
But Kate has kept positive throughout – and revealed she will quit Good Morning Britain to care for her husband.
She continued to reassure her husband, who she married in 2005, and told him: “I promised you I was going to save you and I’ll save you, you just have to hang in there OK?”
She has already transformed their home with a hospital bed in the lounge and room for his wheelchair ready for his return.
