The sister of the late One Direction star Liam Payne, who tragically passed away after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina on Wednesday, has taken to Instagram to share a heartfelt tribute to her brother.
Ruth Gibbins shared a handful of family photos from her personal collection in paying tribute to her brother. The carousel of photos included a shot from Ruth's wedding day with the former X Factor contestant in a blue suit, as well as a sweet moment between Liam and Ruth's son Ashton.
Ruth's tribute to Liam
In her written message, the late boyband star's sister called him her "best friend".
"My brain is struggling to catch up with what’s happening and I don’t understand where you’ve gone," she wrote.
© Nti Media Ltd/Shutterstock"What I love most about you is your ability to make me laugh, I never chuckle as much as I do when I’m with you with anyone else.
"I’m always in awe of your talent, it should be illegal to be so talented and just have the ability to not only be good at things but be bloody great at everything you attempt, without even knowing you're absolutely smashing it each time."
© JAB PromotionsRuth also acknowledged Liam's fame and the treatment he received as a public figure. "I don't feel this world was good enough or kind enough to you, and quite often over the last few years, you've really had to overcome all that was being aimed at you," she penned.
© Debra L RothenbergLiam's sister echoed a sentiment shared by Cheryl, the late 'What Makes You Beautiful' singer's ex-partner and mother of his son Bear.
© Matt Baron/ShutterstockThe Girls Aloud singer shared a powerful statement on Friday which referenced the impact of Liam's tragic passing on their seven-year-old child and asked fans to "give Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last."
Liam's bond with his sisters
The late singer grew up in Wolverhampton with older sisters Ruth and Nicola. The proud siblings regularly supported Liam at One Direction shows from 2010 when he rose to fame on The X Factor to the band's hiatus in 2015.
© InstagramMORE: Niall Horan reveals 'heartbreaking' final goodbye with Liam Payne
They are doting aunts to Liam's seven-year-old son. In her heartbreaking tribute, Ruth promised her brother: "We'll take care of Bear and he will always know how incredible his dad is and how much you idolise him."
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.
