Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway was left fighting back tears on Friday as one guest revealed his poignant connection to her husband Derek Draper.
Derek is still in recovery from Covid-19, after being left in a coma and hospitalised for a whole year due to the virus’ symptoms.
Show presenter Kate has helped her husband through the ups and downs of his recovery, even remodelling their home to meet Derek’s accessibility needs and filming emotional documentary Finding Derek to document his progress.
But as children’s author Michael Rosen appeared in the studio to chat about his own battle with Covid, Kate couldn’t help but get a bit teary eyed as he revealed he was actually treated in the same ward as Derek.
Michael, who now walks with a cane and lost hearing and vision in his left side from the virus, has released a book entitled Sticky McStickStick, which details how his walking stick has aided his recovery.
(Image: ITV)
Kate explained ahead of his interview: “I’ve just found out something extraordinary about our next guest Michael Rosen, so that’s why you came back to me gasping!”
Ben later explained: “The reason we were gasping is you were thanking the hospital staff, and it turns out they were the same hospital staff who were looking after Derek!”
Kate added: “So, I didn’t know until a few moments ago – go on, you say!”
(Image: ITV)
Michael then explained: “Well, we were several beds from each other in the intensive care ward, that’s what I’ve been told by the consultants.”
Kate quizzed: “So you were in a coma at that point, and he was in a coma at that point. And you were two or three beds away from each other? I didn’t know that.”
Michael responded: “Yes. Not very knowing of each other – we didn’t strike up a friendship, as you can imagine!”
“Well, you weren’t speaking or moving or talking at that point!” Kate agreed.
(Image: Daily Star, Daily Mirror, Daily Express)
Michael responded: “That’s right, and there was something down my throat.”
Speaking about the long-term effects of Covid-19 on his body, Michael explained: “There’s permanent damage to this eye, so I can’t really see you if I just look with that eye.
“The micro-clots in my brain knocked out my left ear as well, so I’m a bit lopsided and I do a bit of craning. Apart from that, I have strangely numb toes, because Covid – sorry to get technical about it – it basically attacked the small blood vessels, and that knocks out the nerves.”
He explained: “It’s a bit like frostbite. It’s an interesting experience.”
Kate finished up the interview by promising she’d speak more in depth to Michael about Derek, as she said: “It’s lovely to see you, it’s a lovely comfort to me that you were next to Derek even though you couldn’t speak to each other.
“And we’ll talk some more about that, thank you very much indeed.”
Good Morning Britain airs from 6am weekdays on ITV.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
