Kate Garraway has made a desperate plea for help after receiving “unsettling post making demands” addressed to her late husband.
The Good Morning Britain host, 56, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday (April 17) night to reach out to Haringey Council, having struggled for 10 days to get in touch with someone about Derek Draper’s death.
In her public message, visible to her 524,600 followers, Kate detailed how she had been on hold for nearly 50 minutes trying to contact the right department to discuss the “unsettling post making demands” that Derek obviously couldn’t respond to following his death earlier this year.
READ MORE: Click for more brilliant Daily Star showbiz stories
READ MORE: Click for more brilliant Daily Star TV stories
She wrote: “@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 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!!!!”
(Image: No credit)
Fans rushed to offer Kate their support. “Don’t give up Kate just calm and keep trying to get hold of the council,” one of Kate’s followers said in reaction to her plea, with another adding: “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.”
Derek lost his life at just 56 years old earlier this year after a four-year fight with Covid. His complex health journey began in March 2020 when he was diagnosed with coronavirus and battled various health issues from that point on. Even though Derek needed constant care, there was no financial support coming in, leading Kate to accumulate significant debt to cover his healthcare costs
(Image: kategarraway/Twitter)
.In a recent interview, Kate revealed that her estimated care debt is between an astonishing £500,000 and £800,000. The grieving broadcaster questioned out loud: “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? To be fair to them, no one has contacted me since he passed away asking for money.”
“They may still do it, but they haven’t yet. I haven’t addressed the bigger issue of further appeals because I am still in survival mode.” Kate also opened up to The Sunday Times about the harrowing experience of dealing with the state’s support system, saying: “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.
(Image: ITV)
“You feel like you’re in the dock answering questions about things that will literally mean life or death to someone you love.” The TV presenter took to Instagram on January 5 to share the heart-wrenching news of her husband Derek Draper’s death, writing: “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. 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. 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.”
Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
