Your Body Uncovered host Kate Garraway recently shared a touching update about her husband, Derek Draper, amid his ongoing health battle.
The 55-year-old has been struggling with problems due to coronavirus for three years now after the disease left him in a critical condition.
The dad-of-two has been in and out of hospital since he was first admitted on March 30, 2020, and has been left unable to communicate and in need of round-the-clock care.
However, Kate, 56, recently shared a positive update about his condition, revealing during an appearance on Loose Women that her husband is currently at home learning to speak again and had managed to whisper.
"It's very much a whisper. I don't think we're necessarily going to have a conversation, but you get fantastic moments. Billy had a new basketball and was bouncing it, and he said 'is that new ball?' He said: 'It's nice'...
"Seeing him able to was amazing. Billy was in tears; they were hugging. It's things like that that really lift you up, and the next day he was really still."
Kate also recently revealed she is releasing a new book about Derek's ongoing recovery.
The book, called The Strength of Love, will be a positive one, as the Good Morning Britain host hopes it will help others through difficult times.
Announcing the news on Instagram, she posted: Hello everyone, so I have written a new book... it's called The Strength of Love.
"I must admit it has been so tough to write but that's because I have had to go into some of my darkest thoughts and experiences but I also wanted it to be a positive read for you too.
"I have so much to be thankful for and so many people have shared so much love with me and my family and I really wanted to share something helpful back.
"This book is about Derek's ongoing battle to take back control of his body and mind, the amazing people who have helped us along the way and how love in all its forms can pull you to the brink one moment, and lift you up the next."
She continued: "We are all learning how to deal with the vast multitude of changes we have experienced in recent times while trying to navigate through life the best way we can. I know I am far from alone in wrestling these challenges, I just hope some of the lessons I have learnt will help you in you daily battles too, whatever they are."
This is Kate's second book after The Power of Hope.
The TV presenter has also made two documentaries about her husband's health battle, Finding Derek and Caring For Derek, to show the impact the disease had on him.
What happened to Derek Draper?
On March 30, 2020, Derek Draper and his family's lives changed drastically when he was taken to hospital after testing positive for coronavirus.
Kate explained on Good Morning Britain that Derek hadn't suffered from the usual symptoms of Covid – a loss of taste, smell, cold-like symptoms and a fever – but instead complained of numbness in his hand while also experiencing headaches and breathlessness.
Kate turned to ITV 's Dr Hilary Jones for advice who urged her to immediately phone for an ambulance as Derek was struggling to hold his breath for longer than ten seconds.
Derek was then rushed to intensive care where he was placed in an induced coma – and he would continue to be treated in hospital for over a year.
For months he remained unresponsive, with Kate admitting she had to find new ways to keep their kids, Darcey and Billy, strong.
He was unconscious for 13 weeks before finally waking up in July 2020.
Kate told how it was a "miracle" he was still alive and throughout July shared updates on his health as she returned to work on GMB.
She told Hello! at the time: "I really believe he can hear. When medical staff say, 'Good morning, Derek,' he sometimes opens his eyes. We and the doctors are doing everything we can so that he can start to recover."
But she added that doctors warned her that Derek could be in a "minimum state of consciousness" for years.
Despite being in a stable condition, Derek was said to show no signs of improvement through the rest of July and August.
By September, Derek's six-month Covid battle was said to be the longest in the UK.
But it wasn't until October 20 that Derek would utter his first word after a whopping 214 days in the hospital, tragically saying the word "pain".
Despite this, Derek continued to remain in hospital for many more months, with the family experiencing their first Christmas without him.
After more than a year in the hospital, Derek was finally able to go back to his home in North London on April 9, 2021, where he would continue to receive around-the-clock care.
His recovery was only just beginning, however, and as Kate's award-winning documentary, Finding Derek, proved there was a lot of help needed to keep Derek comfortable and healthy.
Footage showed that Derek would quickly get tired – and Kate had revealed that he would require up to 20 hours of sleep per day.
During an appearance on This Morning, Kate was asked "how much of Derek" she thinks she would "get back", and she replied: "It's very hard to know really, we're having to have a new relationship with him.
"What is there, he is still him, he remembers lots of little details, he reacts to things the kids do in the way he would have before. He's smiling and laughing at things, and he definitely adores and loves us all."
By the end of 2021, there seemed to be signs that Derek's recovery was progressing well as he reached a huge milestone of being able to enjoy a day out with his family.
He joined Kate and their children for a trip to the theatre to watch a production of Cinderella at Richmond Theatre with heartwarming photos showing the family smiling together.
However, by early 2022, Derek seemed had worsened once more, with Kate claiming he was phenomenally fatigued and very weak.
And by the summer he was back in hospital as his health took a turn after he contracted sepsis.
Since then Derek has continued to be in and out of hospital with Kate admitting "there's a long road ahead" when it comes to his recovery and that it's been "so tough".
In April this year, he was able to leave the hospital once more and was seen in May out with Kate and her parents, along with his carer, for a relaxed pub lunch.
Kate has also recently shared a snap from a "very special weekend" spent gardening with her family and Derek, after she worked to have their outdoor space transformed into a tranquil haven for her husband to relax in.
Most recently Kate revealed the update on Derek's communication progress, which is positive.
He continues to receive treatment and support as his recovery is ongoing.
Your Body Uncovered with Kate Garraway airs tonight on BBC Two at 8pm.
