KATE Garraway fought back tears and admitted she’s ‘feeling sad’ as she marked a huge milestone without Derek Draper.
In a video posted to Instagram, presenter Kate, 57, reflected on what would have been her 20th wedding anniversary to her late husband, confessing the sadness she feels in his absence.
The Good Morning Britain anchor, whose spouse Derek died aged 56 in January, shared that she’s been re-reading his old anniversary messages and rewatching her ITV documentary, Derek’s Story.
She also encouraged fans to vote for the film ahead of tomorrow’s National Television Awards.
Kate said: “Right, hello everyone. Today would have been my 20th wedding anniversary to Derek. I mean, it still is my 20th wedding anniversary to Derek. It’s just, it’s one of those days that we’ve talked about.
“Like Christmas to come, Easter, all of those things, his birthday, where you really feel a punch to the stomach. This one particularly, I’ve been feeling very sorry for myself, I’m afraid, because it’s such a personal thing. The others are as much, when he was here, we made about the family and friends and all of that. Whereas this day is so particularly special to him and I.
“The fact that he’s not here makes me feel very sad and notice his absence like a roaring, roaring train. I’ve been leaning into the grief, as everyone says you have to, and I’ve been rereading some of his lovely anniversary messages on previous cards, which I feel so grateful to have had that kind of romance and love in my life. I’m so lucky, a bit bad that I’m not sure mine to him were ever as good, but hopefully he knew. And also because I’ve been rewatching the documentary, because tomorrow is the National Television Awards.
“Just marvelling again at his spirit through the last four years. And this documentary particularly is so about his story, about what he wanted to say that couldn’t in the previous ones. And about care and vulnerability and how it’s fine to be vulnerable, actually. And you shouldn’t feel guilty about needing help and asking for help.
“And a society which makes you feel like that is a society that none of us want, is it? So I’m afraid I’m going to ask you once more, if you wouldn’t mind voting, I’m going to put the link to the voting down. There’s loads of incredible programmes on there, by the way, so do vote in all the categories. And just for the sake of those that have sent me so many messages saying, please don’t give up, please keep fighting.
“And just to give us that chance to carry on the fight for everyone. Thank you for voting, if you can. And thank you for listening to this. I’m going to go and have a hot bath, I think, and feel grateful and cheer myself up.”
Despite her sorrow, Kate expressed gratitude for the love and care Derek received from doctors, nurses, and carers.
She concluded: “I know that I was very lucky to have had all that I’ve had, particularly all those people around Derek that cared for him, doctors, nurses and carers.”
Kate recently revealed the heartbreaking “backlash” she endured over the documentary.
The ITV star opened up on being subject to the sickening trolling centred on the show, which documented his battle with Covid as well as shining a light on the essential work of carers.
Kate opened up on the heart-wrenching documentary being nominated for an NTA this year.
She said on the morning programme: “I really hope people vote for it as well – it’s a different category from you Martin, so no competition there.”
She added: “I got such a lot of backlash for doing it [the documentary] from people going ‘stop going on about this.’
“But actually I realised I am letting people down for not mentioning it.”
Kate then flagged one of her fans Tim, who had approached her outside the Smooth Radio studios urging her “please don’t give up” as she shines the spotlight on unpaid carers.
The mum of two told how he added: “Please make sure people vote, because it helps us all.”
Derek tragically died in January after a brave four year battle with coronavirus and its life-changing complications.
The touching documentary detailed the months before his passing and aired earlier this year.
In the scenes, the former political lobbyist said: “My name’s Derek Draper.”
With his voice barely above a whisper, he continued: “I want you to hear my story.”
Sitting by his bedside, Kate said: “You’ve written ‘Covid changed everything’. Do you mean that for you?”
Derek simply said: “Yeah.”
It finished with Kate asking the fateful question: “Where’s this story going to end?”
Other episodes saw Derek’s sheer frustration as he branded himself “pathetic” for failing to gey out of his wheelchair.
Kate said her final farewell to late spouse Derek at his funeral in February.
Yet she has continued in her steadfast dedication to fly the flag for unpaid carers.
This comes as she battles her own financial difficulties of Derek’s care debts.
The ITV stalwart told how she was looking into withdrawing cash from her pension early to pay for the spiralling medical bills.
