Kate Garraway’s husband begged to be put unconscious to escape ‘mental torture’ of Covid in heartbreaking messages

 KATE GARRAWAY has revealed her husband Derek Draper begged to be put unconscious to escape the “mental torture" of Covid.

The 53-year-old presenter has shared the devastating last texts she received from seriously ill Derek before he was put in an induced coma, as he told her he feared every breath could be his last. 

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Kate Garraway has revealed the last texts Derek sent before being put in a coma

Writing in her new memoir The Power of Hope, which is being serialised by The Mail on Sunday, Kate explained how the family started fearing the worst in March when Derek was rushed to hospital with very low oxgyen levels.

The GMB host revealed that while he put on a brave face for their children, he was much more honest with her.

She writes: “And then I read his next text, just to me this time: 'OK, not for the kids. I've been playing down how really awful it is. It is second after second of being locked in a mask thinking every second you're going to die. 

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Derek told Kate he thought he was going to die

“I think they now may want to put me to sleep.' He was referring to the induced coma they had told me about. It went on: 'I know they are trying to do the best for me. 

“But I just can't breathe – it's mental torture. I need a break. I want to be put unconscious.'”

She continues: “His messages became more and more desperate. 'I don't think you realise how bad it is,' he wrote one evening. 'It is unimaginable. I literally feel like I'm drowning and every breath is my last. Please tell them both I love them. The doctor says there's no chance of me dying. I just have to keep going.'”

Derek's heartbeaking messages to Kate

“It's mental torture. I need a break. I want to be put unconscious.”

“I think they now may want to put me to sleep.”

“I don't think you realise how bad it is.'It is unimaginable.”

“I literally feel like I'm drowning and every breath is my last.”

“Love you all. Can’t come off the breathing machine for one minute so can’t talk.”

Kate is sharing the extraordinary story in her memoir

The broadcaster recently welcomed Derek home after he battled Covid complications in hospital for over a year - but he still has a long way to go.

Speaking to Adil Ray and Susanna Reid on Thursday's GMB, Kate revealed Derek has made a lot of progress since being reunited with his family.

She said: "It's a worthy gig. No it's been wonderful having Derek at home and lots of little positives, I think.

Derek is now at home but has a long way to go"And whether those are positives because it is genuinely helping his cognition being at home or whether it's because I'm there to see the little things.

"Whereas I couldn't go in before and we were on Facetime and stuff. It feels positive, little moments of reaction."

Kate Garraway’s husband Derek is HOME after more than a year in intensive care battling Covid