Kate Garraway recalls tragic power of attorney chat with husband Derek before Covid battle

express.co.uk:

Kate Garraway, 54, hadn't already been faced with the worst situation a spouse could imagine, the legal implications of her husband Derek Draper's horrific run-in with Covid would be enough to push many over the edge.The brave Good Morning Britain presenter became an inspiration for all who had been affected by the pandemic, but there was one thing she wished she and Derek had made sure they had done as a matter of caution before disaster struck.That was assigning one another power of attorney, and the bitter irony is that they had this exact conversation before the medical nightmare began.And it's plunged Kate down a legal rabbit hole.In an interview with an old friend for The Times from 2021, the presenter spoke of the mounting costs and repercussions of the severity of Derek's condition."We had a whole conversation and Derek said we have to appoint power of attorney in case anything happens," she said."He said I’d be his, and I’m sure I made some kind of joke, saying, 'Well, you’re not being mine.'"And we were laughing and having all these sorts of jokes."So I know we’ve had that conversation.

But it isn’t logged anywhere."Or if it is, I can’t find it."As she couldn't get her hands on anything written down, poor Kate found herself unable to access his bank or credit card accounts, their joint savings, or refinance the mortgage.Even when the family’s mobile phones broke, their provider charged her nearly £900 for replacement handsets that would have been free if Derek was able to sign the papers.And due to data protection, the TV star doesn’t even have the legal right to see his medical notes, despite being next-of-kin.Now, she admitted her legal situation is "much more complicated", as she would need a deputy power of.