16 February 2024 , 19:56
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Kate Garraway has shared her gratitude at being able to be by her late husband's side in his final hours.
The former political lobbyist turned author and psychologist died aged 56 on January 3 after years of battling multiple health complications due to coronavirus. Good Morning Britain presenter Kate opened up on her husband's last hours after previously revealing she held his hand "throughout the last long hours and when he passed' after suffering a cardiac arrest before Christmas.
Speaking on LBC on Friday, she said: "I wanted him to know I wasn't giving up because if you are trapped as they believe he was, inside a body that was very damaged and failing, I didn't want him to think that we were departing him."
She continued: "He lived on and on through situations that they didn't think he could. So, I think there is a little bit of peace, but there is also a sense of unreality about it. I think that it was huge honour for me, actually. You can't thank the people around enough, who never stopped fighting for his life but also somehow managed to hold people.
"It was a huge honour to be there with him through those last hours and to have that. I think about all the people during covid that didn't have that, and I think about all the circumstances when people don't have that. "Of course that's life and things happen to people and it doesn't mean that it's any less that you can't be there. You take what you are given, but I felt like it was a lovely thing to get to do that for Derek."
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Kate reflected on Derek's last few hours (ITV)Kate recently broke her social media silence by sharing her support for her friend and GMB co-host Ben Shephard. The presenter has often praised Ben for being by her side throughout her family's ordeal.
ITV announced on Friday that Ben and Cat Deeley are the new permanent hosts of This Morning following Phillip Schofield's departure last year and Holly Willoughby's subsequently exit in October. They will host the host Monday to Thursday while Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary continue as Friday hosts.
In the first post since the death of Derek, Kate wrote: "Massive congrats to @benshephardofficial on the @itv @thismorning gig. You’ll be SOOOOO missed by EVERYONE @gmb viewers and the team alike & of course especially me. BUT after 24 years hard labour by my side no one will begrudge you time off for good behaviour!!! Good luck swapping early starts for (a bit) of a lie in and a Kate for a Cat! @catdeeley can’t wait to see you - you’ll have a ball."