‘Forever’: Liam Payne’s One Direction bandmates issue heartbreaking statement after his death aged 31
Harry Styles has issued a statement about the death of his bandmate Liam Payne, with the rest of One Direction also speaking out.
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One Direction have released a heartbreaking statement following the tragic death of bandmate Liam Payne, sharing they are “completely devastated”.
In a group statement posted to social media on Friday morning, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson wrote: “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say.
“But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.
“The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.”
Payne’s bandmates also shared separate tributes to the 31-year-old on social media, where they expressed their grief over losing a “supportive” friend and “brother”.
At this stage, Niall Horan is the only bandmate who is yet to release a statement.
Payne had recently reunited with fellow member Horan in Argentina, where Horan performed a show on October 2.
‘Miss him always’: Harry Styles breaks silence
Hours after the band’s statement, Harry Styles penned his own emotional tribute to Payne on social media, sharing he’s been left “truly devastated” by his friend’s sudden death.
“His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it,” Styles wrote alongside a photo of Payne performing to a large crowd onstage.
“Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious. He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving.”
“The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend.”
Styles concluded the post by expressing sympathies for Payne’s family and his seven-year-old son, Bear, whom he shares with his ex-partner, British singer Cheryl Cole.
“My heart breaks for Karen, Geoff, Nicola and Ruth, his son Bear, and all those around the world who knew and loved him, as I did. Harry.”
‘Loved and respected you dearly’: Zayn Malik speaks out
It comes after bandmate Zayn Malik shared his own heartbreaking statement on social media on Friday morning.
The PILLOWTALK singer, 31, shared an photo of himself asleep with Payne on what appears to be their tour bus.
“Love you bro,” he captioned the photo, alongside a heart emoji.
In a separate slide, Mailk wrote he has found himself talking out loud to Payne “hoping you can hear me”.
“I can’t help but think selfishly that there were so many more conversations for us to have in our lives,” he continued.
“I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life. When I was missing home as a 17 yr old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let you know. that you were my friend and I was loved.”
“Even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me you were headstrong, opinionated, and gave no f***s about telling people when they were wrong. Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it.”
Praising his bandmate, Malik said when it came to music, Payne was “the most qualified in every sense”.
“I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what I’d give just to give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly.”
“There is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated. I hope that wherever you are right now you are good and are at peace and you know how loved you are. Love you bro,” he concluded the post.
‘Wish I got a chance to say goodbye’: Louis Tomlinson breaks silence
Louis Tomlinson also paid tribute to Payne in his a devastating post on social media, writing he’s “lost a brother”.
“I am beyond devastated to be writing this but yesterday I lost a brother. Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul,” Tomlinson began the post.
“I first met Liam when he was 16 and I was 18, I was instantly amazed by his voice but more importantly as time went on I got a chance to see the kind brother I’d longed all my life for.”
He added Payne was an “incredible song writer” and in his opinion, “the most vital part of One Direction”.
“His experience from a young age, his perfect pitch, his stage presence, his gift for writing. The list goes on. Thank you for shaping us Liam.”
Tomlinson concluded with “a message to you Liam if you’re listening”.
“I feel beyond lucky to have had you in my life but I’m really struggling with the idea of saying goodbye. I’m so grateful that we got even closer since the band, speaking on the phone for hours, reminiscing about all the thousands of amazing memories we had together is a luxury I thought I’d have with you for life. I would have loved to share the stage with you again but it wasn’t to be.
“I want you to know that if Bear ever needs me I will be the Uncle he needs in his life and tell him stories of how amazing his dad was.
“I wish I got (a) chance to say goodbye and tell you one more time how much I loved you.
Payno, my boy, one of my best friends, my brother, I love you mate. Sleep well X”
Payne died from multiple injuries
The UK singer, 31, died after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Preliminary autopsy results show Payne died from multiple injuries sustained in his fall that led to “internal and external haemorrhaging”.
Two forensic pathologists reached the conclusions during a post-mortem on Thursday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The autopsy report also found Payne may have been unconscious when he fell.
The National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No. 16 reported on Thursday, “it is presumed that Payne did not adopt a reflex posture to protect himself” and “he could have fallen while in a state of semi or total unconsciousness”.
It also said all indications show Payne was alone when he fell and the singer had been “going through some kind of outbreak due to substance abuse” at the time, according to an official statement from the office translated from Spanish.
The report noted officials have questioned three hotel workers and two women who had been in the singer’s room in the hours before his death “but had already left the hotel when the incident occurred”.
Further tests are now taking place to see if the singer had consumed drugs and alcohol which could have played a contributing factor in the star’s tragic death. A toxicology report is still pending.
‘Heartbroken’ family release statement
The singer’s devastated family earlier released a statement on Thursday, hours after his tragic death.
“We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul,” his loved ones said.
“We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
The Sun reports that his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, were seen leaving home “in a hurry” around midnight on Wednesday, as news of the 31-year-old’s death began to spread.
A family member who answered the door told reporters at the time: “We’re obviously devastated at the news but we don’t want to comment.”
Rise to fame
Payne had his first taste of fame in 2008 when he appeared on The X Factor UK as a 14-year-old.
While he impressed the judges in the early stages, he was ultimately eliminated by Simon Cowell as the competition progressed.
Two years later, he returned to the show and was placed in a band with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson, marking his big break – and the start of One Direction.
They went on to become one of the biggest pop groups in the world, releasing five albums, embarking on four world tours, and starring in a film.
Five years later, Zayn Malik’s departure from the group marked the beginning of the end, with the band announcing an indefinite hiatus in 2016.
“It was a little bit dark and twisted towards the end of it,” Payne told The Guardian in 2019 of the band’s split.
“But the last few shows were really beautiful moments because the pressure cooker had been let off. It was almost like counting down to holiday … we were going to wake up that Monday morning with no schedule.”
Payne later decided to undergo therapy for more than two years after the band split.
“It was difficult at the start, because I didn’t really know anything about myself. It was a bit of a numb feeling,” he recalled.
Payne reunites with bandmate
Payne had recently reunited with fellow member Niall Horan in Argentina earlier this month, where Horan performed a show on October 2.
Sharing a video to Snapchat at the time, Payne said he and his girlfriend, US influencer Kate Cassidy, were visiting Argentina on holiday, adding they wanted to see Horan’s concert while in the South American country.
“I think we might just go and say hello [to Horan],” Payne said in the video.
“It’s been a while since me and Niall have spoken. We’ve got a lot to talk about. And I would like to square up a couple of things with the boy. No bad vibes or anything like that. But just, um, we need to talk.”
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Originally published as ‘Forever’: Liam Payne’s One Direction bandmates issue heartbreaking statement after his death aged 31
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