Former political advisor Derek Draper has died at the age of just 56 following years of serious health complications caused by coronavirus.
Thought to be one of the UK’s longest-suffering Covid patients, Derek spent 13 months in hospital after contracting the virus in 2020.
In a statement posted on Instagram his wife, TV presenter Kate Garraway, revealed her “darling husband” had died today (January 5) and she had been “holding his hand throughout his last long hours”.
“I’m sad to have to tell you all that my darling husband Derek has passed away,” she said.
“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.”
Derek’s unrelenting health battle began when he was rushed into hospital after contracting Covid in 2020.
For 214 days he remained on a ventilator, which included four months in an induced coma.
The virus resulted in brain inflammation, kidney failure, and damage to his liver and pancreas.
By July, 2020, the dad-of-two from Chorley in Lancashire was brought out of the deep sleep but remained “minimally conscious”.
In September of the same year, Kate revealed her husband had lost eight stone laying in his hospital bed.
A programme called Finding Derek was aired the following March documenting the moment he finally woke up from a coma.
Although he was able to return home to Kate and their children Darcey and William in April, he still needed constant care.
Throughout 2021 he remained extremely weak and unable to communicate properly, which continued into 2022.
It was touch and go for Derek in August 2022 when he contracted sepsis, a life-threatening condition.
However, he overcame this and it appeared as if things were looking up.
In June 2023 he was well enough, although needing a wheelchair, to watch Kate receive her MBE award at Windsor Castle.
But less than a week later he was rushed to hospital yet again.
An update from Kate in the October revealed he was “not doing great” following another infection.
A brain scan had discovered white patches on the organ which are usually seen in patients with vascular dementia.
Kate said: “His brain is now his worst enemy”.
Then on December 11, Derek suffered a major heart attack.
Derek and Kate were married in 2005, and celebrated their 18th anniversary in September last year.