One Direction member Niall Horan said he’s “devastated” by the tragic death of his bandmate Liam Payne.
“I’m absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam. It just doesn’t feel real,” Horan said in an Instagram post memorializing Payne’s life. The post was coupled with a photo of the two together. “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.”
Horan is the latest member of One Direction to share his personal reaction following Payne’s death, following a joint statement from the group. Payne died Wednesday after falling from his balcony at Buenos Aires’ Casa Sur Hotel. Payne had flown into Buenos Aires to see Horan perform while on tour, according to the BBC.
“All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness,” Horan continued as he reflected on their friendship over the years. “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.”
He concluded his remarks by sharing how grateful he is to have seen Payne in person prior to his death.
“I feel so fortunate that I got to see him recently. I sadly didn’t know that after saying goodbye and hugging him that evening, I would be saying goodbye forever. It’s heartbreaking,” Horan said. “My love and condolences go out to Geoff, Karen, Ruth, Nicola and of course his son Bear. Thank you for everything, Payne. Love you, brother.”
On Thursday, Horan and the three other One Direction members released a joint statement saying that they are devastated by Payne’s death and are grieving. The statement to media was signed off by the surviving members of the popular British boy band: Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Harry Styles.
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say,” the statement reads. “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. 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.”
In a separate Instagram post later Thursday, Styles shared his own tribute to his former bandmate.
“His greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it,” Styles wrote. “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.
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