Kate Garraway reveals Derek Draper’s carer requested to hold coffin

Kate Garraway revealed at this time how Derek Draper’s carer insisted that he wished to hold her husband’s coffin at his funeral to ‘represent carers everywhere’.

The carer, recognized solely as Jake, was among the many pall bearers and mourners final Friday on the service on the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Primrose Hill, North London .

Speaking to ITV ‘s Good Morning Britain three days after the funeral, Garraway mentioned at this time that Jake advised her throughout preparations: ‘I need to carry Derek.’

Garraway additionally revealed that she replied to him: ‘Jake, you’ve got carried this household and Derek for lengthy sufficient, take that burden off your shoulders.’

But Jake – who can also be a singer performing below the identify Sency Miller – insisted to Garraway: ‘No, I need to see this by means of to symbolize carers in all places.’

Draper fell critically sick in the course of the early a part of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 and spent 13 months in hospital earlier than he was discharged.

He died on January 3 aged 56 after struggling long-lasting signs from coronavirus.

Jake performed a key function in taking care of Draper after he got here out of hospital, and featured in Garraway’s ITV documentary Caring For Derek in February 2022.

But he has in any other case regularly saved a low profile, and was pictured in a white shirt and black swimsuit on the funeral final Friday.

On GMB at this time, Susanna Reid advised Garraway: ‘I additionally wished to ask you about Derek’s carers as a result of one in every of his carers, his key carer, was additionally there, carrying the coffin, wasn’t he.

‘And what I feel you’ve got impressed amongst viewers is figuring out about what the fact of caring for somebody at dwelling when they’re out of hospital, how totally different that’s from when somebody is in hospital.’

She added: ‘There are many, many carers on the market watching now who will assume no person is aware of the fact of this. You know, fortunately by means of you, we do. But hundreds of individuals are going by means of this every single day, aren’t they?’

And Garraway replied: ‘Absolutely. Jake, once more mentioned, I need to carry Derek. And I mentioned, Jake, you’ve got carried this household and Derek for lengthy sufficient, take that burden off your shoulders. And he mentioned, No, I need to see this by means of to symbolize carers in all places.

‘Professional carers, we name them skilled as a result of they’re so expert, however they’re doing it completely out of a unimaginable spirit of honour and love and goodness.

‘And I assume I symbolize the type of non-professional scrambling carers, of which, as we all know, every single day no less than 12 individuals tackle caring for a liked one for the primary time, each single day on this nation.

‘And a lot of these, practically half, quit work to do it as a result of it isn’t potential to be supported and doing it in any other case.’

She mentioned that there was ‘a lot that should change there’ and she or he expects that campaigning on such issues will ‘be my trigger perpetually’.

Garraway continued: ‘We have a lot brilliance in our medical occupation and a lot talent, however we have to have a unique system of supporting that – caring, and in addition something that basically occurs as soon as you are not within the life and loss of life second.

‘It wants to alter and it hopefully will change. But I feel for individuals watching, they are going to know two issues actually which might be in a caring place – how unbelievably arduous it’s, however what an honour it’s too and the way a lot I want I used to be caring at this time.

‘Because it is an unimaginable factor to be that line of defence in opposition to the world and what occurs to us all in life, to have the ability to be that particular person there for anyone – it is the last word honour and privilege, is not it actually.’

In February final yr, Garraway posted a tribute to Jake on social media and shared an image of him with Draper.

She captioned her publish: ‘Many of you’ll bear in mind Jake who cared for Derek when he first got here out of hospital in April 21 – from the documentary Caring For Derek, so you’ll know what an exquisite healthcare skilled he’s.

She continued: ‘But have simply discovered he is additionally an incredible musician – below the identify @sencymiller.x – He’s simply launched a music known as Okuseku (test it out in his bio) – which no shock is stuffed with love and inspiration to maintain going and by no means quit.

‘The world of carers by no means fails to shock me with their depths of expertise, thoughtfulness and motivation. Happy Friday, all!’

Jake responded to her publish by writing: ‘Thank you a lot and it is a large privilege to be there for Derek.’

TV physician Amir Khan additionally commented, writing: ‘He is an excellent human’.

Jake then re-posted the image of him final month following Draper’s loss of life and mentioned: ‘Rest in peace, Mr Draper.’

One of the feedback beneath acknowledged: ‘You have been his favorite particular person other than his household. You bought him and them by means of a lot. Be happy with your self for making a distinction to him and his household.’

Another wrote: ‘Thank you for taking care of my a lot liked pal with such care.’

Jake, who was born and grew up in Ghana, now lives in London and has shared movies of himself within the recording studio and acting on pop-up levels. 

Draper had attended few public occasions lately however when he did it was often with Jake – together with a household journey to Windsor Castle the place Kate collected an MBE in June final yr.

Speaking on GMB after the occasion, Kate defined Prince William wished to go over and converse to Draper in particular person.

‘He mentioned he desires to go over however he isn’t allowed to depart the rug, there is a very fancy gold carpet that he stands on,’ she defined.

‘So we turned and noticed after which clearly Derek was very tearful after which spoke about Jake and gave Jake a wave as properly.’

Jake had additionally been pictured a number of occasions pushing Draper round in a wheelchair to present the ex-political advisor some recent air.

Last November, Garraway Kate defended Draper’s use of carers on Loose Women , saying: ‘If Derek did not have somebody caring for him he may die that day. 

‘We have to cease treating carers as a luxurious.’

The couple additionally spent ‘tens of hundreds of kilos’ adapting the household dwelling in London for Draper, which included the set up of ramps, a downstairs moist room and a makeshift downstairs bed room.

In his artist biography on Spotify, posting as Sency Miller, Jake writes: ‘Born and raised in Ghana. I first fell in love with music, when my grandmom will take me to church and I get to hearken to the choir.

‘The harmonies, the tones, the melodies actually touched me each time I head a music. At a really younger age I discovered love for music. I at all times liked to sing, however by no means thought I’d be a singer or a music author.

‘I joined the choir however wasn’t very severe as a result of was at all times busy with different issues. At the age of 18 I actually had a terrific reference to Drake and the group Fun. My love for music grew an increasing number of.’

He mentioned his performing ‘all began when a pal of mine was recording his album in his home’.

Jake mentioned he ‘occurred to be there’ and his pal requested him to carry out on one in every of his songs which was being featured on his album.

He continued: ‘And after that music, I at all times tried to be taught an increasing number of about recording, writing and singing. And that was the place to begin of what’s to be the best flip of occasions in my life.

‘I’m at present engaged on some tasks and attempting to place collectively an EP and if potential my first solo album. My identify is Sency Miller and music saved my life.’