Niall Horan has paid tribute to his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne, saying he is « absolutely devastated » by his death.
The 31-year-old pop star suffered « extremely serious injuries » after landing in the courtyard of the CasaSur Hotel in the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires, police said.
Liam Payne in 2023. Pic: AP
Argentinian media reported that Payne was in the city to attend Horan’s concert earlier this month.
In a statement on Instagram, Horan wrote: « 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. »
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He described his former bandmate as having 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, » he said.
He went on: « 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. »
Former One Direction members Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan put out a statement saying they were « completely devastated » following Payne’s death.
Read more:
Liam Payne dies – what we know so far
Payne posts on Snapchat hours before death
Liam Payne in 2023. Pic: AP
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