Harry Styles has shared a tribute post remembering his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne after the latter’s untimely death.
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On the night of October 16, it was announced that Liam Payne had died at the age of 31 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Per The Guardian, the Argentinian prosecutor’s office revealed that Payne’s cause of death was due to multiple traumas and internal and external bleeding – his head injuries were serious enough to cause death.
Earlier today, One Direction’s surviving members Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles shared a joint statement on Payne’s death, where they expressed their devastation, and that they would need time “to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.”
Now, Harry Styles has shared his own statement on social media, accompanied by a picture of Payne performing to a large audience: “I am truly devastated by Liam’s passing. His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it.”
Styles continued: “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.”
“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,” Styles concluded.
Besides Styles, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson have shared their own statements. A portion of Malik’s tribute reads: “Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there are so many more conversations for us to have in our lives.”
Louis Tomlinson shared a photo of themselves on stage while performing and wrote: “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.
“And for the record, Liam was in my opinion the most vital part of One Direction,” Tomlison continued. “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.”
Payne’s family have also issued a statement, saying: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
The X Factor, on which One Direction first formed, also shared a message on social media, writing, “He was immensely talented and, as part of One Direction, Liam will leave a lasting legacy on the music industry and fans around the world.”
Katie Waissel, who competed alongside One Direction, recently paid tribute to Payne and called for more “care and support for young artists”.
Rebecca Ferguson, who finished in second place on the same season of the show, paid tribute to Payne while also speaking out against the “exploitation and profiteering of young stars.”
Liam Gallagher also commented on Payne’s passing, tweeting: “life is precious”, before confirming he had heard the news of the singer’s untimely death: “I have it’s very sad.”