Kate Garraway gets candid about solo parenting after husband’s death
Kate Garraway has opened up about the challenges of being a solo parent, following the heartbreaking death of her husband.
Derek Draper passed away on January 3 of last year, at the age of 56. The former political advisor’s death was as a result of long Covid complications, spanning almost four years.
Good Morning Britain presenter Kate had been married to Derek for 18 years, and the couple had welcomed two children together – daughter Darcey (19) and son William (15).
Now, in the months after the first anniversary of Derek’s death, Kate has chosen to speak out about the difficulties of being a solo parent.
In an interview for the Daily Mail’s Weekend Magazine, the 57-year-old was asked how she has been coping without Derek to lean on as a fellow parent.
'It's the hardest part of grieving. So many times I just think, ‘Derek where are you?’” Kate admitted.
“When he was here we didn't plan which one of us was bad cop to the other's good cop. You sort of do it without thinking,” the TV star recalled.
“Now I have to be everything – the one who's fun, the one who chivvies everyone along and the one who yells, ‘Oh my god, you are going to fail everything,’” she continued.
Kate then went on to admit that she has made “so many mistakes” in the months following Derek’s passing.
“I make so many mistakes but doesn't everyone? Does the perfect mother exist?” she quizzed.
“I suppose one of the things about what's happened is that I've had to have very grown-up conversations with my children,” she added.
In January of last year, fans of the TV journalist were devastated when Kate confirmed her husband’s death on Instagram.
At the time, she described Derek’s final moments as being “as comfortable and dignified as possible.”
Kate added: “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.”
