Following the news of Liam Payne's tragic death, his former One Direction bandmate, Niall Horan, has shared a deeply emotional tribute, recalling their final moments together.
Liam, who passed away at 31 while in Buenos Aires, left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him, but the bond between the One Direction boys was something clearly very special.
© GettyNiall took to social media to express his grief, posting a heartfelt message which read: "I'm absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam. It just doesn't feel real.
"Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious. He was the brightest in every room and always made everyone feel - happy and secure."
Reflecting on the countless memories the two shared, Niall continued, "All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness.
"We got to live out our wildest dreams together, and I will cherish every moment we had forever. The bond and friendship we had doesn't happen often in a lifetime."
In his tribute, Niall shared the heartbreaking realisation that their last hug would also be their last goodbye.
Liam Payne's rise to fame and career timeline
© NBC- 2008: Liam auditions for The X-Factor at 14 years old and is told to come back in two years by Simon Cowell.
- 2010: Liam returns to The X-Factor auditions and is placed in a group with Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Harry Styles, forming One Direction. The band place third in the competition.
- September 2011: One Direction's debut single, 'What Makes You Beautiful' goes to number one in the UK and around the world. Since then, the band have had 14 top ten hits in the UK and four number-one albums on the Billboard 200.
- December 2011: Liam embarks on his first world tour with One Direction.
- November 2012: One Direction releases their second album, Take Me Home.
- August 2013: The band's documentary film One Direction: This Is Us, hit the big screen, with thousands of fans supporting the film at its premiere in London's Leicester Square.
- November 2013: One Direction releases their third album, Midnight Memories.
- December 2016: One Direction announce their indefinite hiatus.
- May 2017: Liam releases his debut single, 'Strip That Down', in May.
- December 2019: Liam releases his first and only album, LP1, which reaches the top 20 in the UK.
- March 2023: Liam releases a comeback single, 'Teardrops'.
- October 2023: Reports that Liam's second studio album has been put on hold.
"I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently," he added. "I sadly didn't know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It's heartbreaking. My love and condolences go out to Geoff, Karen, Ruth, Nicola and of course his son Bear. Thank you for everything, Payno. Love you brother. Nialler."
Liam, who rose to fame with the boy band on The X Factor, died after falling from a third floor balcony of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Argentine capital on Wednesday.
© Anthony Harvey/ShutterstockThe late star had reportedly been in Buenos Aires to support his former bandmate Niall, and was spotted just two weeks ago at the Movistar Arena, dancing at Niall's concert alongside his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy.
Liam shared an update to fans via Snapchat two weeks before his death. He said: "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 we need to talk."
He also posted a picture of the two of them, captioned: "Reunited".
The late singer's family said they were "heartbroken" following his death, adding: "Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul."
A joint statement from his One Direction bandmates said they were "completely devastated" and will miss the singer "terribly", adding the "memories we shared with him will be treasured forever".
© JMEnternationalThe band toured across the globe and had five chart-topping albums, as well as four number one singles in the UK chart with tracks including What Makes You Beautiful and Little Things.
Liam, who was born in Wolverhampton, released his debut solo album LP1 in December 2019, which included the songs Polaroid and Strip That Down featuring Quavo.
One of his most famous songs, For You, was a collaboration between him and the singer Rita Ora for the film Fifty Shades Freed in 2018.
