Former One Direction stars paid tribute to fellow member Liam Payne, who died Oct. 16 after falling from his third story hotel room in Argentina, according to state police. He was 31.
Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles shared a joint statement on the official One Direction Instagram account on Thursday.
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” they said. “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,” they continued. “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,” they said at the end of their statement before co-signing it from all four of them.
Separately, Tomlinson also shared a moving post about Payne on Instagram with a photo and said he “lost a brother.”
“Liam was somebody I looked up to everyday, such a positive, funny, and kind soul,” he said. “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.”
Tomlinson went on to share how Payne was an “incredible songwriter” and in his opinion, “the most vital part of One Direction.”
He ended his message with a message to Payne directly and told him that he is “beyond lucky to have had you in my life” and that he’s “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,” he said.
Tomlinson also vowed to be there for Payne’s son, Bear.
“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,” he said.
Payne was a member of One Direction alongside Horan, Styles, Tomlinson and Malik. The group was formed on “The X Factor” in 2010 and went on to release five albums, including “Up All Night” in 2011 and “Made in the A.M.” in 2015.
In 2015, Payne embarked on a solo career and released a number of singles, including “Strip that Down” in 2017. He also released the album “LP1” in 2019.
Payne’s collaborators and friends mourned him in moving social media posts following his death.
Payne’s family also issued a statement in the wake of his death, writing, “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.”
Styles’ mother, Anne Twist, shared a heartbroken emoji to Instagram and wrote in the caption, “Just a boy … 💔.”
Read more tributes to Payne here.
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