Derek Draper's fellow ICU patient still suffering three years on from Covid

11 January 2024 , 12:28

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Michael Rosen has spoken about the late Derek Draper and his wife Kate Garraway

Michael Rosen has shared an update on his own health and expressed condolences to Kate Garraway following the news that her husband Derek Draper has died.

The author, 77 - who wrote the children's book We're Going on a Bear Hunt - has previously shared that he ended up in an induced coma for more than a month after catching Covid in 2020. He's said to have spent around six weeks in an intensive care unit (ICU) in hospital during the pandemic.

He has since spoken in interviews about having experienced long-term health issues, often referred to as 'long Covid,' following the hospitalisation four years ago. Michael has shared an update about his health recently.

Michael Rosen has provide a health update following his experience with Covid, having previously shared that he was in an induced coma for weeks (Getty Images)

Sharing an update with the Express recently, Michael said that he is now "mostly fine" but that the long-term impact includes 'little sight in his left eye' and a 'lack of hearing' in one ear. He's also said to have 'barely' any feeling in his toes.

The poet also spoke to the outlet about late lobbyist Derek, who is said to have been on the same ICU ward. Derek, who is said to have experienced "severe health complications," was hospitalised for over a year during the pandemic. It's been announced that he passed away, aged 56, last week.

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Michael said: "I was extremely sorry to hear that [Derek] had died and send heartfelt best wishes to Kate and the whole family. I felt linked to what [they] were going through because Derek and I shared the same intensive care unit."

He praised Kate, 56, who shared updates on Derek's recovery following the news that he had been hospitalised in 2020. She also wrote two books about her experience and did documentaries like Kate Garraway: Finding Derek.

The former Children's Laureate added: "I think Kate had done a brave and important thing to have shown us what happened as it shines a light on the kinds of things that have happened to thousands of others across the country."

He's also shared his condolences to Kate Garraway (centre) following the death of her husband Derek Draper (front), pictured with her parents (left and right) (Getty Images)

Good Morning Britain host Kate shared that her late husband Derek had passed away in a statement released on Instagram last week. She told her followers that he had been "critically ill following a cardiac arrest" last month.

She said in the post: "I'm sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away. 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."

"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. I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible," the presenter continued.

Kate concluded the post by writing: "Sending so much love and thanks to all of you who have so generously given our family so much support. Rest gently and peacefully now Derek, my love, I was so lucky to have you in my life."

Samantha Masters