Kate Garraway has issued an urgent appeal for assistance after receiving “unsettling post making demands” addressed to her late husband, Derek Draper.
The Good Morning Britain host, aged 56, turned to Haringey Council on X (formerly Twitter) following a 10-day attempt to contact someone regarding the passing of her husband. In a public plea, Kate described being on hold for nearly 50 minutes in an effort to reach the appropriate department to address the “unsettling post making demands” that Derek is “obviously not respond to” since his death in January, as reported by the Mirror.
Her post read: “@haringeycouncil -please help – have been trying for ten days sold to speak to someone about my husband passing away – following unsettling post making demands which obviously he can’t respond to. I just cannot get through. Again today nearly 50 mins wait and before I could….” Continuing her plea, Kate, who has recently spoken about incurring debts exceeding £800,000 due to Derek’s medical expenses, added: “@haringeycouncil … the man put me straight back to the beginning – another 20 mins and then it timed out as shuts at 5pm. Is there a bereavement service or SOMETHING! ! ! “.
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Kate’s dedicated followers took to the internet to show their support and offer advice, with one commenting, “Don’t give up Kate just calm and keep trying to get hold of the council.”, reports Wales Online.
In a similar vein, another added: “I agree with other posts Kate – get hold of your local councillor if you can. So sorry to hear you have this on top of everything else you and your family have endured.”
Kate tragically lost her beloved husband Derek at the young age of 56 after he bravely battled long Covid for four years. The ex-lobbyist’s health began deteriorating in March 2020 following a Covid diagnosis and subsequent health complications.
Despite the rigorous care that his critical health condition necessitated, they received no financial assistance, plunging Kate into financial distress to cover his indispensable care expenses.
Kate candidly recounted the mounting cost of Derek’s healthcare during an interview, estimating their debt to fall between a staggering £500,000 and £800,000. Distressed, she shared: “Derek’s needs were clearly so great, yet he didn’t warrant funded care – so you think, ‘If he isn’t getting it, then who is? ‘”.
(Image: ITV)
“To be fair to them, no one’s contacted me since he’s passed away to ask for that. They may well still do, but they haven’t as yet. The bigger picture of the further appeals I haven’t addressed yet, because I’m still in survival mode.”
Kate expressed her exasperation with the state’s support system to The Sunday Times, remarking: “It’s supposed to be a system that’s meant to catch you if you fall. But actually, it feels like it’s trying to catch you out. You feel like you’re in the dock answering questions about things that will literally mean life or death to someone you love.”
On January 5 this year, Kate took to Instagram to share the devastating news of her husband Derek’s death: “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,” she shared.
In her heartfelt post, she 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. 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.”
She concluded with a message of gratitude and farewell: “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.”
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