Trigger Warning: This article mentions death
Liam Payne’s One Direction bandmates are remembering him as an exceptional artist with great songwriting prowess and a strong head on his shoulders. After the now-defunct British pop band released a joint statement mourning the loss of their “brother,” each member of the five-piece group took to their social media accounts to share individual tributes, with some addressing their messages directly to Payne. Louis Tomlinson, one of the remaining 1D stars, shared a heartfelt tribute to Payne on Instagram and followed it with additional memories in the Stories section of the platform.
Tomlinson shared two Instagram stories following his post. The first story featured a black-and-white collage of the duo’s moments on stage, capturing scenes of Liam hugging, smiling, and throwing his hands up in the air as they performed together. The second story, in color, showed a version of one of the pictures from the previous story, where he and Payne faced each other with their hands above their heads as the latter drenched them in what appeared to be an alcoholic beverage.
“This picture summed up our relationship. I love you. I’ll always be your big brother,” Tomlinson wrote in the caption of his story.
Tomlinson’s tribute followed the news that Payne, 31, had died after plunging at least 40 feet from the third floor of his hotel room balcony in Argentina on October 16. The singer had been in the South American country since early this month, attending his former bandmate Niall Horan’s concert in Buenos Aires just a few days ago.
According to preliminary investigations by the local authorities, Payne was reportedly under the influence of alcohol and drugs in the hours leading up to his death. A chilling 911 phone call made by the hotel’s manager minutes before his death seems to corroborate these reports, as the manager sought help from authorities regarding a guest who was acting erratically whenever he was conscious. The manager also expressed the hotel management’s fear for their safety, noting that the guest—Payne—was staying in a room with a balcony.
Payne is survived by his 7-year-old son, Bear Grey, his parents, and his close family and friends.
If you know someone who is struggling with alcohol or substance abuse, please reach out to the authorities and report it. There are several helplines available for the same.
ALSO READ: Liam Payne’s Remembered By One Direction Bandmate Louis Tomlinson In Heartfelt Tribute After Tragic Death: ‘I Lost A Brother’
