During her father's funeral last Friday, she held her mother's hand and courageously shouldered his coffin as a pallbearer, even though she was only 17 years old.
And now it can be revealed that Darcey Draper has remained a “constant support” for her mother Kate Garraway, 56, during Derek Draper's deadly four-year battle with Covid.
A close friend told the Chron: “The whole family is staying together to support each other during this difficult time, especially the children who have always been a great support to Kate.”
It follows Ms Garraway's tearful interview on Good Morning Britain today in her first television appearance since her husband's death – just three days after his funeral on Friday.
Mr Draper died of cardiac arrest on January 3 – four years after a severe bout of Covid in 2020 caused his health to deteriorate sharply.
Darcey Draper has remained a “constant support” for her mother Kate Garraway, 56, during Derek Draper's deadly four-year battle with Covid (pictured at Derek Draper's funeral on Friday).
She held her mother's hand during her father's funeral last Friday and bravely shouldered his coffin as a pallbearer, despite being only 17 (pictured)
During the interview with her ITV co-stars Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley, Ms Garraway praised her daughter's “extraordinary courage” during Mr Draper's final months.
The teenager, who is known to be popular with her school friends, was a solid and courageous figure during the funeral and in the weeks leading up to her father's death.
She revealed that the last words Darcey said to her father were: “Dad, if you can't do this, it's okay.” You set yourself free, if you have to go, don't worry about us, go ahead don't worry about mom.
“We will be fine because you live on through us.”
Ms Reid, 53, said in shock that the story of Darcey's strength during the devastating ordeal of losing her father is sure to open “a grown-up conversation” about how we deal with death with children.
Ms Garraway agreed, recalling her children's maturity when she told them their father had suffered a cardiac arrest.
She said: “The first thing Darcey said was, 'How are you, Mum?'” It took my breath away.
I said, “That’s a nice question, thanks for asking.”
“They have taken on a caring role and I am so proud of them.”
“They didn’t want to pressure him to carry on for us – I don’t think he did.”
“It's nice that they saw his perspective in that way. “I think it's extraordinary.”
During the interview with her ITV co-stars Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley, Ms Garraway praised her daughter's “extraordinary courage” in Mr Draper's final months (pictured Kate, Billy, Derek and Darcey together in 2019).
The teenager, who is known to be popular with her school friends, was a solid and courageous figure during the funeral and in the weeks leading up to her father's death
But added: “We are at the bottom of our grief right now.”
Mr Draper's funeral took place in London's Primrose Hill last Friday and was attended by the likes of Tony Blair and Keir Starmer, while Elton John “sweetly” sang “Skyline Pigeon”.
An emotional Ms Garraway wore a £349 black Hobbs coat, accompanied by her son Billy, 14, and Darcey, who wore a similar £150 faux fur-trimmed coat from British brand De La Creme.
Darcey was later seen carrying her father's coffin and Ms Garraway said she did so to allay her mother's fears that the significance of the day would be lost behind her ITV profile.
She said, “It was her idea.” I wanted the funeral to represent everything about him and not about me.
“As we were talking about it, Darcey came into the room and said, 'Can I carry the coffin please?'
“I thought, 'Crikey, this is a practical challenge, anyone who's ever done it, it's a hard thing.' But she said, 'I want to do it,' and basically insisted, and I thought that was a beautiful thing.”
It follows Ms Garraway's tearful interview on Good Morning Britain today in her first television appearance since her husband's death – just three days after his funeral on Friday
Darcey and Kate pictured together at the National Television Awards 2022
Richard Madeley, who attended the funeral, recalled in the interview how Ms Garraway read out a eulogy written by Darcey which was “beautiful and at times very funny”.
He said: “It made everyone laugh, but it also ended with her last words to her late father.”
“When you read it, I thought it was so mature, she basically whispered to him that he could stop worrying about all of you.”
Before Mr Draper's death, Ms Garraway took an extended break from the ITV show to be with her husband after he suffered a cardiac arrest in December that left him in a vegetative state.
She revealed that it was a moment that stopped all clocks because her late husband seemed to be the furthest thing from death before his death, having evolved into a “positive state.”
Doctors said he had just 24 hours to live, which extended to over a month after his death in January, but said she was heartbroken for the children who had “heard it many times before.”