Kate Garraway and her family are going through ‘another one of those firsts’ after the loss of her husband, Derek Draper, in January.
The Good Morning Britain presenter, 57, and her two children, Darcey, 18, and Billy, 14, lost Derek at the beginning of the year after a lengthy and difficult three-year battle with complications related to Covid-19.
Just days after what would have been the political lobbyist’s 57th birthday, Kate took to Instagram to share with fans an update about their family and how they spent the bittersweet day.
Posting a video of the flowers blooming in her garden, she revealed her daughter received her exam results and ‘did better than any of us feared under the circumstances’.
‘Congratulations to all who got their #alevel results this week – huge achievement – even if you’re disappointed in the results – don’t be – you made it to the end and life has a way of working itself out in the best way for you,’ she wrote.
‘Darcey got her results on another one of those firsts this year – Derek’s birthday. She didn’t get what she might have done but hey did better than any of us feared under the circumstances.’
The TV star continued to say she ‘couldn’t be prouder’ of her daughter and said her husband would have been too.
Kate then emotionally told fans she and Darcey visited Derek’s grave to ‘tell’ him the news before going to ‘celebrate with friends’.
Ending the post on a lighter note, the broadcaster said she noticed the flowers she had planted with the ITV show Love Your Garden had started to bloom for the first time all summer.
‘So am just enjoying the incredible fragrance combined with the mint & raising a mug of tea to Derek – darling we did it – your beautiful daughter is on her way to her next stage in life thanks to your love & guidance and you will live on through her.’
She signed off the post wishing her 1.3million followers a ‘happy Saturday’.
Many fans were quick to comment and share their well wishes with Kate and her family.
Salg48 wrote: ‘Congratulations to Darcy. Your words of inspiration have moved me to tears Derek definitely looking down with pride’.
While glyn_mcw added: ‘Darcey is amazing for even managing to sit the exams after everything that she’s been through. Well done to Darcey and good luck in your next chapter xx’.
Elsewhere, Kate’s followers were quick to proclaim the flowers blooming may have been for a special reason.
sammie_j_w wrote: ‘That’s derek saying hi my beautiful wife ❤️’.
Culliganruthie agreed, ‘Well done Darcy your dad has come to congratulate you through nature he was waiting enjoy the next chapter well done Kate.’
It comes just one month after Kate spoke at the ASA Foundation’s ball, where she said she was ‘barely holding it together’ as she slowly comes out of her grief.
Per Closer, the star said: ‘I’m just at that early stage at the moment of coming out of grief. I’m just barely holding it together.
‘I haven’t actually been out that much so it’s nice to come out tonight, although it is a school night. I’m on telly tomorrow – so I won’t be able to stay out late.’
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Kate continued to say she was working hard to ‘celebrate life’ and has been lucky to receive so much support from her TV and radio colleagues since her husband’s death.
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